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Punchestown 2024
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Review ballinrobe 3rd May
Valours Minion
© Photo Healy Racing
< Livelovelaugh got his career back on track when making an impressive debut over hurdles in the opening Tipperary Water Maiden Hurdle at Ballinrobe.
Willie Mullins' son of Beneficial has some smart bumper form to his name but hadn't been seen since running well at the 2015 Punchestown Festival.
However, he was sent off a well-backed 8-13 favourite to make a winning return and gave his supporters few alarms, travelling strongly throughout before taking over after the second last and sauntering eight lengths clear.
Mullins completed a quickfire double 30 minutes later when Fire In Soul routed his rivals in the Mulholland Bookmakers Rated Hurdle.
The 5-2 victor cut little ice in Grade Two company last time out but was a different proposition here and the writing was on the wall some way out.
Having been content to settle in behind the leaders in the early exchanges, jockey Bryan Cooper always cut a confident figure and didn't have to get serious as his mount left eventual runner-up Coffee 21 lengths in his wake.
There was a fair prize on offer in the Treacy's Pharmacies Handicap Chase and Liberty's Gift (20-1) lowered the colours of his more fancied rivals with a comfortable success.< Draycott Place cut out the early running and ran well for a long way but he was in trouble when Liberty's Gift breezed by entering the home the straight and the latter was able to put seven lengths between himself and eventual runner-up King Blue at the line.
There was another big-priced winner of the Sheridan Electric Handicap Hurdle as Isabella Liberty (20-1) came out on top while Spider Web got the better of Bye Bye O Bye to land the John Madden & Sons Handicap Hurdle under Mark Welsh.
Walsh completed a double of his own when guiding Peoples Park (7-2) to a six length success in the Audi Ballina Beginners Chase.