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Punchestown 2024
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- Review dundalk 12th Apr
Review dundalk 12th Apr
Hot Bed fends them all off under Fran Berry at Dundalk
© Photo Healy Racing
Fran Berry landed a double under the Dundalk lights including the feature Crowne Plaza Race & Stay Package Handicap on David Wachman's well-backed gelding Hot Bed
Running in the colours of Sir Robert Ogden, the 5-1 shot was kept up near the pace all the way as Elusive Ridge took them along, and struck the front inside the final quarter-mile.< Regulation put in a persistent challenge but was always comfortably held as Hot Bed passed the post with a length and a quarter to spare.
Berry also won the three-runner Group Discounts At Dundalk Claiming Race on Eddie Lynam's 4-9 favourite Akasaka leading two furlongs out and having no trouble holding off stablemate Muck 'N' Brass by a length.
Willie McCreery sprung a major surprise in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden when 25-1 shot Cloud Monkey who was reluctant at the stalls, showed a willing attitude at the other end of the race.< Sinour looked in control after fighting off favourite North Dakota but Shane B Kelly, riding his first winner in Ireland, had something left and squeezed past on the inside to snatch the verdict by a head.
North Dakota's trainer Aidan O'Brien suffered another reverse with a short-priced market leader when 1-2 shot League Of Nations could not resisit the strong challenge of Caged Lightning in the Louth Land Of Legends Gathering 3rd May Maiden.
Joseph O'Brien set out to make all on the favourite, but Chris Hayes edged ahead on Kevin Prendergast's well-exposed 10-1 shot two furlongs out and kept the advantage all the way to the line to win by a head.< Pivotal Rock was trying to follow up last year's victory in the Dundalk Stadium On Facebook Handicap and went close in a bunch finish, but he was run out of it as the John Larkin-trained House Limit (10-1) got up by a neck under Ben Curtis.