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Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
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Michael Graham
Rinty Maginty wins a thriller in Ballybrit
Rinty Maginty, second right, wins a competitive nursery
© Photo Healy Racing
"It's a handicapper's rainbow!" was the highly apt description from racecourse commentator Jerry Hannon as Rinty Maginty just prevailed in a blanket finish to the nursery at Galway.
No less than five horses raced in line across the track with 100 yards to go and five soon became six as Urban Light thrust home on the outside.
It was Kevin Prendergast's Rinty Maginty who came home best in the middle of the bunch, though, to score by a neck at 8/1 for Danny Sheehy. Kestrel Prince and Arabic Channel were notable non runners but plenty of bets were still brought up on Rinty Maginty who was as big as 20/1 in the morning. Facethepuckout took a runner-up reward at 7/1. He was half a length in front of Urban Light.
Danny Sheehy said: "It was my first ride for Mr Prendergast and thanks to him for giving me the spin and to Ruaidhri Tierney (agent) for getting me on him.
"He had a light weight and Mr Prendergast just told me to jump out and get him in his comfort zone and have him finishing late.
"I had to sit and luckily a nice gap came and once he got a bit of daylight he stuck his head out and he toughed it out fairly well."
The distances between the first six home were a neck, half a length, a short head, a short head and three parts of a length.
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes