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Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
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- Review limerick 18th Jun
Review limerick 18th Jun
Dermot Weld has enjoyed a week to remember even by his remarkable standards and rounded off a great few days with Precious Gem in the Martin Moloney Stakes at Limerick.
A little over 24 hours on from Rite Of Passage's thrilling win in the Ascot Gold Cup, the master of Rosewell House sent out the 2-1 favourite to land a valuable Listed success.
Pat Shanahan hit the front inside the final furlong on the recent Leopardstown handicap winner and she stayed on well under a fine ride to hold off Choose Me by a neck, giving Weld a second win in the race.
Weld's son Kris said: "We thought she'd win, it's great to win a Listed race and she's beautifully-bred filly.
"We have no real plans for her, we'll either go for something similar or a Group Three. We may have to travel for that, but that won't be a problem.
"Pat gave her a great ride."
It got even better for the Weld team when Directa King (3-1) took the concluding Peter Clohessys Bar & Sin Bin Nightclub (Q.R) Race following a finely-judged ride from Roger Quinlan.
A 5lb penalty just proved too much for even-money favourite Sean Og Coulston as the six-year-old was denied a hat-trick by Miss Eze (10-1) in the Special Olympics Ireland Games Families Party Handicap.
The market leader was close up throughout and made a bold bid before being collared in the last 100 yards by the Paul Cashman-trained winner.
Cashman said: "She's in a six-furlong handicap at the Curragh next weekend.
"She's a lovely filly and we've always thought a lot of her."< Rum Raisin was sent off the outsider of three runners for The Irish Mirror Maiden - but never saw another rival as the 5-1 chance made every yard to win with ease under Seamie Heffernan.
George Murphy, son of winning trainer John, said: "She loves the real fast ground and she got a great ride."
Aidan O'Brien got on the scoreboard at Royal Ascot courtesy of Lillie Langtry and Mikhail Glinka, and was on target closer to home with Gemstone in the Grant Thornton Race.
Sean Levey made all aboard the 4-7 favourite, who kept on