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Punchestown 2024
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Mark Nunan
Roche bookends Tramore card with a brace
Annecherie (nearest)
© Photo Healy Racing
Leigh Roche completed a first-and-last race double when Annecherie (17/2, from 12s before the off) took the two-mile handicap.
The dual Dundalk winner was in rear early and made steady headway on the final circuit before being ridden into contention coming out of the dip. The daughter of Yeats was driven to the front inside the final furlong and went on to score by a length and a half from Walnut Beach
Sheila Lavery trains the winner for the Llewelyn Runeckles Partnership.
Roche, who rode Eziya to win the opener for Dermot Weld, said: "I had never ridden her before. Sheila rang me on the way down and said she had done a bit of work with her in the stalls, as she used to get left behind a lot. She jumped away grand today and they went a good even gallop.
"Sheila said that she can be keen and don't get into a fight with her. They steadied-up going by the stands the first time and I could nick two or three positions from there without using her. I got a lovely sit on her at the top of the hill before we got racing again and filled her up.
"I knew I was going to have one go at them and I knew from around three-and-a-half furlongs out that I was going to take a fair bit of beating.
"I think she could win again, once things work out for her and they go a nice even gallop. She stays well and is tough. She is genuine once everything works out right for her."
Quotes from Donal Murphy