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Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
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- Review navan 31st Mar
Review navan 31st Mar
< Tranquil Sea has won his fair share of big prizes for the Edward O'Grady yard and the 10-year-old added another in a gripping contest for the Webster Cup at Navan.
The Grade Two event lost some of its lustre in the absence of Realt Dubh, but there was still plenty of talent on display as Saddler's Native and Trafford Lad took them along.< Zaarito looked to be going best when he joined issue two out, where there were four in a line, but he was outbattled by Tranquil Sea (11-4) on the run-in as Barry Geraghty's mount won by a length and three-quarters.
There was a sombre note, however, with the death of Trafford Lad after he collapsed on the run to the third-last.
O'Grady and Geraghty doubled up when evens favourite Slieveardagh took thetote.com Novice Chase after a late scare.
The eight-year-old looked to have matters in control at the last but jumped out to the left and nearly went off the track before the jockey hauled him back and got going again to beat Regal D'Estruval by half a length.
Geraghty was completing a personal treble after Table Mountain got off the mark over jumps at the sixth attempt in thetote.com Handicap Hurdle.
Robbie Hennessy's top-weight had plenty on his plate coming to the last, but leader Mac Tigue was far from fluent and the 6-4 favourite rallied to collar him in the final 50 yards, winning by three-quarters of a length.
The JP McManus colours were carried into the winner's enclosure on Galianna after thetote.com Mares Maiden Hurdle.
Pat Flynn's 3-1 market leader had a host of rivals hot on her heels when taking it up before the second-last, but she stuck to her guns and won by three-quarters of a length to initiate a double for David Casey.
The Gordon Elliott-trained Beef To The Heels (7-4 favourite) ended his sequence of near-misses in thetote.com Maiden Hurdle, leading approaching the penultimate flight under Davy Russell and having enough in reserve to score by two and a quarter lengths.