Leopardstown review:Puncher Clynch clouded the Classic issue when springing a surprise in the PW McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown. The Azamour colt just held At First Sight in a bunch finish to give trainer Jim Bolger and trainer Kevin Manning a 142-1 double.
Winner of a handicap at Dundalk on his previous start, Puncher Clynch stepped up in game fashion in this Group Three contest.
The 12-1 shot held the renewed effort of the Aidan O’Brien-trained pacemaker At First Sight (10-1) by a short head with fellow Ballydoyle runner Mikhail Glinka, the 11-10 favourite, just a neck away in third.
“He’s a very versatile type as he gets a mile and a half and he could be dropped back to nine furlongs,” said the Coolcullen trainer.
“He probably wouldn’t be able to cope with Group One company just yet, but he’d certainly be able to cope with a level below.
“He doesn’t seem to mind the ground or surface. He will probably have an easy week or two of it after that.”
Book Of Numbers (10-1) initiated the brace when recording his first success in the Glenbeigh Group Handicap after running in three maidens.
Leading inside the final furlong, he swept to victory by a length and a half from Aghadoe.
“He had a good run first time out, then he threw the toys out of the pram at Gowran and he didn’t act at all in Dundalk,” said Bolger.
“We will probably go for something similar. He’s very versatile, we could step him up or drop him back. He will probably just stick to handicaps.”
Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen were another trainer/jockey combination to complete a double thanks to wins by Brushed Aside and Famous Name, both owned by Khalid Abdullah.
Famous Name looked a class act when romping home in the Heritage Stakes.
The 11-10 favourite tracked his pace-setting stablemate Broad Meaning until striking the front early in the straight.
That gave Famous Name first run on his chief market rival Recharge and Smullen’s mount pulled two and a half lengths clear at the line.
“He’s a very good horse and that was a very good performance,” said the trainer’s son Kris.
“He is in such good form, we were a little bit worried about the ground.
“The two possibilities for him are the Group Three Amethyst Stakes back here in May or the Prix de Muguet at Saint-Cloud the weekend before.”
Earlier, Brushed Aside followed up last month’s Dundalk success by taking the Stepaside Handicap.
The 4-1 joint favourite, ridden by Pat Smullen, got the better of Miss Velocity in the closing stages to score by a length.
“She’s an improving filly and she got a great drive from Pat,” added Weld. “She hasn’t got her coat yet but she did it nicely. We will look for something similar and maybe some black type later on in the season.”
O’Brien also got into the double act with Zoffany and Snow Blizzard.
Zoffany (4-7) made a promising debut in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden, the Dansili juvenile coming through in the final furlong to beat Gold Post by a length and a half in the hands of Johnny Murtagh.
“He quickened up really well today, he was ready and learnt a lot. I don’t think they went overly fast there,” said O’Brien.
“I’m very happy with him. Royal Ascot could be a possibility but we’ve a good bit to go yet. We couldn’t have asked any more of him in his maiden.”
Snow Blizzard (16-1) also made a winning debut when outpointing the Bolger-trained Maverick Man in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden under Colm O’Donoghue.
Murtagh was only third on the 4-6 stablemate September Morn.