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Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
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- Review navan 27th Jan
Review navan 27th Jan
Ruby Walsh had a mixed day at Navan as he went home with a winner but was also left cursing what might have been.
The champion jockey was seen to great effect on John Coleman's Un Hinged (5-1) who got the better of odds-on favourite Prince Of Fire in the Navan Golf Club Open For Membership Hurdle.
Un Hinged had only run in the MCR Hurdle at Leopardstown last Saturday but showed he ill effects as he demonstrated a smart turn of foot to win by half a length.
"The Pierse (MCR) had been the plan for ages but with 30 runners and him being a hold up horse, he was always going to be too far off them," said Coleman.
"He pulled out fresh after that and with the small field here, we decided to let him take his chance. Ruby said he hated the ground."
Walsh looked to have the 2010 Navan Membership Handicap Chase in the bag going down to the last on Seabass trained by his father, Ted.
However, the seven-year-old got in tight and tipped up leaving Flemensford (10-1) to come home in isolation under Mark Walsh.
"He was a lucky winner but it's nice to get one now and then. I can't remember the last time I got a lucky winner," said trainer Eric McNamara.
"They went very fast and Mark said he was in trouble at halfway as he was struggling to keep up.
"The horse stays three miles though and it was a combination of them going too fast and stopping in front."
Andrew McNamara won on only his second ride back from injury when Edward O'Grady's Acapulco (4-5 favourite) just lasted home to hold off The Book Thief in the three-mile www.navanracecourse.ie Maiden Hurdle
"I thought that lad would do it on form," said McNamara.
"This wouldn't be his trip in that ground, but on better ground he'll get it. He just got tired in the finish. It's tough going out there."