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Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
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- Tugboat sails home in finale
Tugboat sails home in finale
Edward O'Grady with his daughter Rosie-May
and winning jockey Barry Geraghty
© Photo Healy Racing
Tugboat ran out a cosy winner of the concluding maiden hurdle to give Barry Geraghty and Edward O'Grady a double at Clonmel.
The easy-to-back 4/1 shot (from 7/4 in morning) tackled front-runner Dreaming On at the third last and took his measure turning for home.
The Galileo gelding was shaken up to assert after the last and was a comfortable two-and-three-quarter length winner over the 50/1 front-runner.
Tugboat had been a maiden winner on the Flat for John Oxx and was opening his jumping account having finished third on his hurdling debut here earlier this month.
"I just hope that's a good omen for (the owner) Mr Barr's runner (Rugged Cross) in the Derby on Saturday," said O'Grady.
"The better ground suited this horse today." Bulgaden was sent off the well backed 6/4 favourite (from 9/4) but could only finished a well held fifth. Avondale Native who was set to trail in last, collapsed close home having suffered a heart attack.
Gary Carson & Donal Murphy