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Punchestown 2024
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- Rules sets the pulses racing again in finale
Rules sets the pulses racing again in finale
Forgotten Rules and Pat Smullen stride clear for another impressive win
© Photo Healy Racing
Dermot Weld made it seven winners for the week at Ballybrit and a double on the day with his stable jockey Pat Smullen when Forgotten Rules again impressed in the concluding Guinness Race.
Smullen was alert to the big lead that pace-setting outsider All The Aces was building up but the Nayef gelding reduced that advantage in the dip as his main opponents came off the bridle in behind.
The Punchestown bumper winner, owned and bred by Moyglare Stud Farm, was ridden to assert entering the straight and despite still exhibiting signs of inexperience he strode away in impressive style to put eight lengths between himself and the well-backed second favourite Shu Lewis
Smullen reported: "He's very, very good and he could make into an Irish St Leger horse.
"It was a difficult race for an inexperienced horse to run in, the way it panned out, but he was very professional.
"Here is a big and starey place for a young and an inexperienced horse and that's why I pushed him out to make him get on about the job."
Dermot Weld (saddled the Aga Khan's Massinga to win earlier) stated: "He's a very good horse and he was always travelling easily.
"He's potentially a lovely stayer. We'll see how he comes out of this and how he matures in the next few weeks.
"The Irish St Leger is very much on the agenda.
"You might say it's a bit early to be taking on Group 1 horses but he's an exciting young horse.
"He's still a bit babyish and that was only his second start.
"He could run in the Leger Trial at the Curragh (August 24th)." (AM & EM)