Search
Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
- irishracing.com
- Punchestown
- News
- Gambled on Requisition beats odds-on Nephrite
Donal Murphy
Gambled on Requisition beats odds-on Nephrite
Requisition is driven out by Seamie Heffernan to beat Coolnagree and Nephrite
© Photo Healy Racing
The gambled on Requisition put in a game front running display to land the Listed Anne Brewster Memorial Loughbrown Stakes for Seamie Heffernan and Aidan O’Brien (recording a double after the win of Infanta Branca in the opener).
Having opened at 9/1 this morning the son of Invincible Spirit opened at just 6/1 on course but was punted further into 7/2 at the off.
Meanwhile his stablemate and short priced favourite Nephrite drifted on course from 1/3 out to 4/9 at the off.
The winner who made the early running was ridden two furlongs from home and was strongly pressed a furlong out by both Coolnagree and Nephrite.
However Requisition pulled out more under pressure to hold off their challenges scoring by a length and three parts at the line from the 20/1 shot Coolnagree back in second under Wayne Lordan for Willie McCreery.
Nephrite under Joseph O'Brien finished a further length and three parts back in third.
The winner ran three times last season as a 2yo winning his maiden on his third attempt at Galway in August.
Winning trainer Aidan O’Brien said afterwards: "He progressed well from last year. He got a mile well in Galway when he won his maiden.
"Looking at him you wouldn’t think he’d get a mile. He is a very straight forward horse to train."
O'Brien went on to talk about the disappointing favourite Nephrite saying: "He won his maiden here over six furlongs and he wasn’t sure to get a mile. He has lots of speed but he was just found out on the ground.
"It's not looking likely that he will go for the Guineas now. Joseph was adamant when he came in that he is more of a sprinter.
"We didn’t know the strength of the race he won at Leopardstown. He trained well over the winter and showed lots of speed."
After the race Ladbrokes pushed Nephrite out to 16/1 from 8's for the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket while they cut Camelot from 6/4 into Evens.