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Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
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- Review curragh 23rd Aug
Review curragh 23rd Aug
Herald The Dawn (right) and Kevin Manning beat Now Or Never
© Photo Healy Racing
< Herald The Dawn took another step up the ladder when tasting Group Two success in the Galileo EBF Futurity Stakes at the Curragh.
The son of New Approach was following in the footsteps of his sire, who won this race back in 2007, but was made to work hard for his victory by the game Now Or Never who made the 6-4 winner pull out all the stops.
The latter was quickly into stride and saw off a laboured challenge from the well-touted Shogun but couldn't repel Herald The Dawn who stayed on strongly in the closing stages to score by a length and three quarters.< Found (8-13 fav) made a welcome return to winning ways when landing the Group Three Kilfrush Stud Royal Whip Stakes for trainer Aidan O'Brien.
This season's 1000 Guineas runner-up was returning from a two month break having last been sighted finishing second in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and she was very good here, travelling powerfully throughout before quickening up smartly to see off Answered by four lengths.< Order Of St George handed O'Brien a Group Three double on the afternoon when justifying 4-6 favouritism with an impressive display in the Palmerstown Irish St Leger Trial Stakes.
The three-year-old has been brought along steadily this year but backed up his recent Down Royal success with another smart performance, travelling kindly behind the leaders before powering some seven and a half lengths clear of Sea Moon < An Saighdiur (8-1) loves to get his toe in and relished the rain-softened ground when running out a length and a quarter winner of the Sycamore Lodge Equine Hospital Handicap.< Aye Aye Skipper (2-1 fav) followed up his recent win at Killarney when proving two lengths too strong for his rivals in the Mongey Communications Handicap while Western Boy (6-1) was all out at the finish of the Killashe Handicap but still had enough left in the tank to deny Grecian Tiger by a length.