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Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
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- Preview leopardstown 9th Jul
Preview leopardstown 9th Jul
Jim Bolger bids to land back-to-back renewals of the Live At Leopardstown Handicap on Thursday evening.
The County Carlow handler landed the feature race on this card 12 months ago with Chance To Chance and has a good opportunity to repeat the dose with Algonquin a Dundalk maiden winner who returned with a taking Curragh handicap success last month.
A 6lb rise may not be enough to halt him, but he was due to run at Naas on Wednesday night and Gowran scorer Rummaging and Breathe Easy, who almost sprang a 25-1 surprise on his reappearance, will be ready to pounce if the favourite defects.
The Racecourse Of The Year Race is an intriguing contest to get things underway with at 5.50.
Bolger is double-handed with Gleine the most experienced in the line-up, but Sanus Per Aquam looks his main hope following an impressive debut success over seven furlongs at the Curragh when pulling well clear with an Aidan O'Brien inmate.
O'Brien provides stern opposition again in the shape of Port Douglas, who came home really nicely once the penny dropped when scoring in style here on debut, while Dermot Weld takes the wraps off well-bred newcomer Palmetto Dunes.
Bolger and O'Brien go head-to-head again in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden when represented by Stellar Glow and On A Pedestal respectively, with both looking to improve on promising second-placed finishes last time out.
The Bolger-trained Deontas takes on recent course winner Hurricane Sky in the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show Handicap, while Daliyan also bids for a double in the 'Hermitage Green' Handicap.
Mick Halford has his string in excellent form at present and looks to add to his tally with Mezogiorno, a previous course and distance winner, in the Leopardstown Handicap.
Following an impressive double in bumpers, Prickly is sure to be popular with the punters as he makes his Flat debut in Leopardstown Club Membership (Q.R.) Maiden.