McLaurey
McLaurey kept on well to finish third behind James's Gate in the two-mile-three-furlong maiden hurdle at Punchestown on Tuesday. Held up early on by Mark Walsh, just worse than mid-division, he made nice ground on the outside down the back straight, past the by-passed hurdles. The front four established a clear break on the field on the run across the top of the track, and McLaurey wasn't great at the fourth last flight, but he bridged the gap to the leading group early in the home straight, and he stayed on well over the last and up the run-in to take third place, just over five lengths behind the winner.
Winner of his only point-to-point for Jonathan Fogarty before joining Emmet Mullins, JP McManus' horse was well beaten on his debut under Rules at Fairyhouse in March, but he shaped much better on his debut this season in a maiden hurdle at Tipperary in finishing second behind the a progressive horse in Taponthego. He should be better again with this experience under his belt, and he could improve for a step up in trip. This looked like a good maiden hurdle, the winner finished third in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham in 2022, and McLaurey should be winning his maiden hurdle soon before going on to bigger things.
Punchestown, 10th December 2024
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