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Punchestown 2024
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- Halford & Whelan land nursery
Mark Nunan
Halford & Whelan land nursery
Unconquerable Keen and Ronan Whelan (noseband) win from Coumshingaun (left)
© Photo Healy Racing
The Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale Nursery went to 4/1 joint favourite Unconquerable Keen under Ronan Whelan.
The Clodovil colt, bred by owner Nick Hartery, had finished a promising third on nursery debut at the Curragh and, having raced handily, came through to head the front-running Rhythm Of Zain over a furlong out.
He was soon tackled by Coumshingaun but shrugged off that one’s challenge by a length with It’s Snowing finishing another lenght and a quarter back in third.
The other 4/1 joint favourite New Star never got involved before finishing eighth.
Winning trainer Michael Halford remarked: "He's a fine big horse and he's only getting the hang of sprinting now.
“We liked him, even from early in the year, and he was the first two-year-old we ran, we've only run three two-year-olds.
“He was very professional today and Ronan said if anything he got there a bit soon on him. When he picked him up, now he knows what to do.
“He has plenty of size and scope and he's got a good mind.
“He's a horse that we'd trade on but if nobody comes for him we'll keep going because I think there is a nice bit more to come from him.”
Quotes from Gary Carson