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Punchestown 2024
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Mark Nunan
Hennessy doubles up to maintain fine strike-rate for Ballydoyle
Erato (far side) duels with Deadly Nightshade
© Photo Healy Racing
Erato completed a Ballydoyle double for Killian Hennessy in the Sean Cleary Memorial Fillies Maiden as she came a second time to deny 2/5 favourite Deadly Nightshade
The blinkered sister to St Leger winner Bondi Beach sat second and led racing out of the dip with over two furlongs to go. Headed by the odds-on favourite inside the final furlong, she rallied to lead again in the final stride with a nose the margin of victory.
Both fillies carry the colours of the Coolmore partners and Erato was reversing Bellewstown form with the runner-up who had finished four lengths in front of her at that venue last month.
Hennessy, also successful on Grosvenor Square in the opener, has won on six of his 14 rides for winning trainer Aidan O'Brien this season including a Listed success on Salt Lake City at Killarney last month.
Stable representative Chris Armstrong said: "that is a very important bracket to get and she is a filly with a fine staying pedigree.
"Seamus (Heffernan) rode her both times at Bellewstown and from the first run thought she'd definitely win. It's grand she has got the win and Killian gave her a nice ride and it was nice for him to get a double.
"We'll go hunting black-type now and the further the better for her as she was only getting warmed up at the line."
Quotes from Tom Weekes