Search
Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
- irishracing.com
- Punchestown
- News
- Review leopardstown 12th Sep
Review leopardstown 12th Sep
Golden Horn bumps Free Eagle in Leopardstown
© Photo Healy Racing
< Golden Horn bounced back to winning ways with a bold effort from the front to land the Qipco Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, but it was not without its controversy.
Sent straight to front by Frankie Dettori, the 5-4 favourite was only narrowly ahead of Free Eagle when jinking to his right and bumping Dermot Weld's runner.
John Gosden's star got back on an even keel and though he drifted right again, he had a length in hand of Found with Free Eagle third, and the placings remained unaltered after an enquiry.< Legatissimo proved a class apart in the other Group One on the card, the Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron Stakes.
The 7-4 favourite eased into the lead under a motionless Wayne Lordan over a furlong out, and once given her office, she quickened away to score by two and three-quarter lengths from Cladocera < Fascinating Rock gave Weld and Pat Smullen a double with a demolition job in the KPMG Enterprise Stakes.
Disappointing on his return from a break at Windsor two weeks ago, he looked a different animal here, as the 2-1 chance took over after the home turn and breezed to a six-length victory over Panama Hat
Weld and Smullen's double started when Silwana (8-1) ran out an impressive winner of the competitive Irish Stallion Farms EBF 'Petingo' Handicap.< Johannes Vermeer stepped up from a Killarney maiden win to land Group Two spoils with an emphatic success in the Willis Champions Juvenile Stakes.
Aidan O'Brien's 5-1 chance was always prominent under Seamie Heffernan, and he opened up an unassailable lead by the furlong pole, keeping on well to beat True Solitaire by a length and a half.< Custom Cut led home a British 1-2-3 in the Clipper Logistics Boomerang Stakes, with Danny Tudhope guiding the 11-4 chance to victory over Top Notch Tonto and Lightning Spear
Coolmore had to settle for second in the Ballylinch Stud EBF Fillies Maiden, as the 8-11 favourite was unable to reel in Michael Halford's newcomer Anamba (12-1), who made virtually all under Shane Foley.