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Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
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Dragon rewards Harrington's faith
The feature race on the card at the Curragh this afternoon, the Group 2 Galileo EBF Futurity Stakes went to the Jessica Harrington trained, Fran Berry ridden Dragon Pulse at 7/1.
Having just been beaten by a head on his debut over six furlongs by Vault back in June the winner got his head in front on the second time of asking in Leopardstown last month beating Ellell Duke by a length.
Today the winning son of Kyllachy settled in rear before making good progress on the outer over two furlongs out he led just inside the final furlong and kept on well from there to score by a length and three parts from Parish Hall at 6/1 back in second. Astrology under David McCabe for Aidan O'Brien finished a further three parts of a length back in third at 5/1 while the 2/1 favourite Riviera Poet could only manage a disappointing fifth.
Winning rider Fran Berry was recording a double on the day having scored aboard Fictional Account in the Listed, St Ledger Trial.
Winning trainer Jessica Harrington, who won this race last year with Pathfork, said afterwards: "He did it very well. His first two runs were over six furlongs and the further he went the better he was going today.
"I'm thrilled with him. He might get supplemented for the National Stakes now but I'll have to talk to the owners. He wants it yielding though and if it was good to firm he wouldn't run. He is also in the Beresford Stakes.
"I supplemented him for this (for €9,500), I put my money where my mouth is and I'm delighted he won.
Harrington also commented on Laughing Lashes following her disappointing run on Thursday in the Yorkshire Oaks saying: "She was as sick as a dog. She had a temperature of 104 on Friday morning, you wouldn’t believe how sick she was."
After the race the Stewards suspended Rory Cleary, rider of Cheerful Giver for two days for careless riding.
Donal Murphy