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Punchestown 2024
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Michael Graham
Rogue Trader lands a gamble in Naas
Rogue Trader, far side, on his way to victory in Naas
© Photo Healy Racing
Rogue Trader brought up his fourth career success when making the best way home in the two mile handicap chase at Naas.
Previous course and distance winner Rolling Rocket made good headway into second at the fourth last and soon took over. He appeared to be travelling strongly sweeping into the home straight but came off the bridle after the penultimate fence.
Rogue Trader jumped that obstacle in sixth but began to stay on well under Jody McGarvey and came through to lead at the last as Rolling Rocket weakened right out of contention.
He was driven out by McGarvey to hold Marvellous Moment (16/1) by a length and a half. Leap Dearg (5/1) was a neck further back in third.
Trainer Tom Taaffe said: "It's good to see him winning. I don't know what happened the last day. We could find nothing wrong the next day so we said that we'd run back straight away.
"He's fine at two miles on heavy ground for the moment, and two miles on that ground is like two and a half."
Rogue Trader was pulled up last month in Leopardstown in a two mile one handicap chase.
He was backed from 11/1 to 8/1 in the morning and from 13/2 to 11/2 at the track.
The Stewards received a report from Mr Hugh Hynes, Turf Club Clerk of the Scales, regarding the fact that PD Kennedy, rider of Rolling Rocket, weighed in at 2lbs overweight. Evidence was heard from the rider concerned. Having considered the evidence, the Stewards were satisfied that the rider was in breach of Rule 231 and having considered his previous record in this regard, they suspended him for one race day.
Additional reporting by Alan Magee