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Punchestown 2024
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Donal Murphy
Givemethebeatboys finishes with a flourish on debut
Givemethebeatboys and Shane Foley
© Photo Healy Racing
Debutant Givemethebeatboys finished with a flourish to take the opener at Navan, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.
A first juvenile winner of the season for Jessica Harrington, the Bungle Inthejungle colt was sent off a 12/1 chance (25s early) under Shane Foley.
Settled in mid-division in the nearside group, the Theresa Marnane-owned victor was pushed along from the two furlong pole and appeared to be struggling.
However, he really got racing inside the final furlong and surged to the front in the final 50 yards, going on to prevail by three-parts-of-a-length.
The easy-to-back Jalaybee (9/1 from 10/3 early) was the one just denied, with Chris Hayes aboard this Dermot Weld-trained chestnut.
Outisder Kandoo (40/1) ran a fine race and was another three-parts-of-a-length back in third, while the well-backed favourite General Assembly (evens from 9/2 early) could only manage a very disappointing ninth.
"If he hadn't run well today, we would have been scratching our heads a bit," Foley revealed in the aftermath.
"We have had a few two-year-olds disappoint, so we are glad he did that.
"We took him out the last couple of times because of ground and I was adamant that I think he is a good horse and good horses handle any ground. He'll be better on better ground, he couldn't really quicken in it (today).
"I thought the race was gone, but his class got him through.
"The pace was on the far side and he had to do a bit of running to get on top, but the good ones can get you out of trouble!"
When asked if he sees him as a Royal Ascot horse, he replied: "Definitely I'd say, and Con (Marnane) likes Ascot."
The winner is out of dual winner Dromana, who is a half-sister to Lismore, a smart Group 3 winning stayer for Henry de Bromhead.
STEWARDS REPORTS
The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer examined General Assembly, trained by G.M.Lyons, at the request of the Raceday Stewards and reported the animal to be blowing hard post race.
R.P. Whelan, rider of Vangelis trained by Jack W. Davison, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount got upset in the starting stalls.
Additional reporting by Michael Graham