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Punchestown 2024
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- Doubles for Harrington & Newtown Anner
Mark Nunan
Doubles for Harrington & Newtown Anner
Winner Anner Castle (centre) hampers third home Flora (right)
© Photo Healy Racing
On his first run since being gelded, Anner Castle (15/2 into 5/1 at the off) landed the Hollywoodbets Now Streaming All Irish Racing Maiden.
With cheekpieces added for the first time to a tongue-tie, the son of Fastnet Rock tracked the leaders under Shane Foley before making his challenge in the final quarter mile.
He got the better of Irish St Leger also-ran Seattle Creek (6/1) by a neck with another half length back to the slightly unlucky 9/4 favourite Flora in third.
The latter was staying on quite well when hampered by the winner, who edged left under pressure, in the final 100 yards but the placings remained unchanged after a stewards’ enquiry.
Foley was, though, handed an eight day suspension for careless riding with the stewards taking into consideration his record in this regard.
After Dark Vega in the same colours in the opener, winning trainer Jessica Harrington was completing a double and commented: “It's lovely to get a win out of him and it's great for Newtown Anner to have a double on the day.
“He deserves that, he's a great big baby and he is better since he got castrated — he's behaving much better.
“He might go for a handicap, he needs a mile-and-a-half upwards and nice easy ground. We just didn't get soft enough ground for him during the summer.
“He was going to go to the sales but they might keep him now.”
Quotes from Gary Carson