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Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
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Review leopardstown 20th Jul
< Moonlight Magic bounced back to winning ways with a gritty performance to land the Group Three ICON Meld Stakes at Leopardstown.
Jim Bolger's one-time Classic hope hadn't got his head in front since the Derrinstown of last year but raced kindly behind front-running favourite Deauville
The market leader appeared to be travelling strongly but Kevin Manning was getting a good response out of Moonlight Magic (5-1), who wore down Deauville in the final half-furlong and prevailed by a head.< Battle Of Jericho ran well in a couple of warm maidens here and at the Curragh so certainly wasn't winning the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden out of turn.
Seamie Heffernan dictated terms to suit himself on the 4-5 favourite and although Michael O'Callaghan's newcomer Man Power ran a most promising race in second, he could never really get close enough to challenge and fell short by a length.
Heffernan and trainer Aidan O'Brien followed up when Wild Irish Rose claimed Listed honours in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Stanerra Stakes.
Heffernan brought the 7-4 favourite wide to make her challenge and she saw out the mile and three-quarters really well to beat Wingingit by half a length.
Mattymolls Gaga (7-2) stepped forward from his introductory effort to claim top honours in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden.
Jessica Harrington's youngster showed a pleasing attitude to put the pace to the race before kicking early in the straight, and he held off The Broghie Man by three-quarters of a length.
On an evening when it paid to race up with the speed, Hunaina made every post a winning one in the Riptide Movement Handicap and came home three-quarters of a length to the good over Fior Cliste < Tom Dooley (5-1) supplemented his recent Roscommon success by landing the ICON Apprentice Handicap, while 3-1 joint-favourite Lord Justice won the Manguard Plus Handicap.