17:30 Punchestown

Friday 28 April 2017

All15:4016:2016:5517:3018:0518:4019:1019:45

Betdaq Punchestown Champion Hurdle (Grade 1)

Off time: 17:32 | Winning time: 3m 49.90s

Arctic Fire^h⁴²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 162

9/2

Successful in Grade 1 company at Fairyhouse in November 2015. Lightly raced since then and had just the two outings this season with teh most recent coming when winning a valuable handicap hurdle at last months Cheltenham Festival. Interesting runner in this.

Form: 21142/1-

Brain Power^p⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: D J Mullins| T: N J Henderson| OR: 159

13/2

Victorious off a mark of 149 in a valuable handicap hurdle on good-to-soft ground at Ascot in December. Finished well beaten in the Champion Hurdle last month but not written off just yet.

Form: 1-38119

Identity Thief²²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: B J Cooper| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 157

33/1

Grade 1 winner over hurdles in 2015 and been chasing in the main this season. Returned to hurdles at Aintree over 2m4f last time out when finishing last of six and he'll need to improve on that to figure in this contest.

Form: 11PU46

Ivan Grozny^h⁹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Katie Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 153

33/1

Justified odds-on favouritism twice in Graded hurdle races last year including over 2m at Tipperary (soft) in October. Well held in a Grade 3 contest at Naas in January on his most recent outing when wearing a tongue tie (left off here) in addition to his usual hood. Needs to bounce back in this.

Form: 815/115-

Labaik^v1³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 154

11/2

Enigmatic performer who had appeared to put his starting issues behind him when winning a Grade 1 novice event at Cheltenham last month. Old habits returned here earlier in the week when left with no chance following a slow start and wears a visor for the first time in this.

Form: 1RR617

My Tent Or Yours^h²²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Aidan Coleman| T: N J Henderson| OR: 162

8/1

Seems to save his best efforts for spring time these days and finished runner-up in Grade 1 company at both Cheltenham and Aintree. Successful twice at the highest level in the past and likely to run well again in this contest.

Form: 332422

Rashaan²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Flanagan| T: C Kidd| OR: 146

50/1

Winner of a Grade 2 contest over 2m at Down Royal (good) in January. Well held twice since including at Aintree last time out and looks up against it in this company.

Form: 052135

Tombstone¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 148

25/1

Successful in a five runner Grade 3 contest at Gowran Park (heavy) in February. Well beaten twice since including when third in a Grade 2 contest earlier this month and likely to struggle here.

Form: 24-3103

Wicklow Brave^b1⁴⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 155

12/1

Nine times a winner in his career so far including three times over hurdles. Well held on his return to jumping when slowly away at Cheltenham last month and wears blinkers for the first time in this contest.

Form: P1033/8-

Vroum Vroum Mag⁴⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Ruby Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 152

6/4

Successful three times in Grade 1 company including over C&D in this contest 12 months ago. Beaten 1½L in the Grade 1 mares event at the Cheltenham Festival last month and likely to run well again as she bids to repeat last years success in this contest.

Form: 1-12112

Rule 4

Rule 4 applies to all bets - deduction 10p in the pound

Non-Runners

Diakali¹¹

Weight: 11-12| Age: 8

T: W P Mullins J: Danny Mullins

Petit Mouchoir⁴⁵

Weight: 11-12| Age: 6

T: H De Bromhead J: B J Cooper

Forecasts

Vroum Vroum Mag (6/4), Petit Mouchoir (3/1), Arctic Fire (9/2), Labaik (11/2), Brain Power (13/2), My Tent Or Yours (8/1), Wicklow Brave (12/1), Diakali (16/1), Tombstone (25/1), Ivan Grozny (33/1), Identity Thief (33/1), Rashaan (50/1)

PETIT MOUCHOIR has won at this meeting in the past and can reverse Champion Hurdle running with likely favourite My Tent Or Yours here. The selection hasn't been seen in action since finishing third on that occasion and mistake two out cost him momentum when still leading. Of the remainder Arctic Fire is an interesting runner here as is stablemate Vroum Vroum Mag who took this race in 2016 while it will be interesting to see how Labaik performs at the start with a visor fitted for this.