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Punchestown 2024
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Review cork 6th Aug
Royal Blue Star and Connor King fly down the outside at Cork
© Photo Healy Racing
Impressive young jockey Connor King took the riding honours at Cork with a fantastic 14,725-1 four-timer highlighted by the success of Royal Blue Star in the Platinum Stakes.
There was a big field for the Listed contest and Jessie Harrington's five-year-old (20-1) had plenty to do going into the final-quarter-mile, but she flew down the outside to score by a length from Akira Unlucky horse of the race was Snow Queen who charged home after being left.
King, who has impressed many observers this season, initiated his four-timer when leading inside the final furlong on Tom McCourt's Kiss The Stars (16-1) before holding favourite Harpist by three-quarters of a length in the ITBA Working For Southern Regional Breeders Handicap.
He then secured the Mallow Apprentice Handicap in similar fashion on David Marnane's 11-4 favourite Almadaa grabbing the lead half a furlong out and keeping Doonard Prince at bay by three-quarters of a length.
It was McCourt who provided the ammunition again when King made it four on Horsewithnoname (10-1), who came with a long sweeping run and edged out Hangar Five by a short head in the second division of the 'Tote Trifecta Rollover' Handicap.< Venus De Milo looked a potential top-class performer for the Aidan O'Brien team as she stamped her authority on the feature Irish Stallion Farms EBF Give Thanks Stakes.
Sent off the 1-4 favourite for the Group Three contest after finishing a half-length second in the Irish Oaks last time, she led just about all the way under Joseph O'Brien and was briefly threatened at the furlong pole, but lengthened away impressively to beat Bunairgead by three and a half lengths. The Prix Vermeille could be her next target.
David Wachman introduced a useful juvenile in Come To Heel (7-1), who displayed a decent turn of foot to zip past the experienced pair Candy Apples and Treadstone inside the final furlong to win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden cosily by half a length under Billy Lee.