18:05 Punchestown

Friday 28 April 2017

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

Tattersalls Ireland Champion Novice Hurdle (Grade 1)

Off time: 18:05 | Winning time: 4m 53.9s

Bacardys⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 145

10/1

Successful in a Grade 1 contest over 2m2f at Leopardstown (soft) in February but pulled up in a 2m5f contest at Cheltenham a month later. Disappointed on that occasion but an interesting runner here with a useful amateur in the saddle today.

Form: 1-3F11P

Bleu Berry²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 143

8/1

Winner of his last three outings over hurdles including in a Grade 2 contest on soft-to-heavy ground at Fairyhouse earlier this month. Step up in trip unlikely to hold any issues for him and likely to run well in this.

Form: 27F-111

Death Duty⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: B J Cooper| T: G Elliott| OR: 149

9/2

Successful four times over hurdles including in a Grade 1 event over this distance at Naas in January. Well beaten when unseating his rival at the final hurdle over 3m at Cheltenham last month and likely to appreciate the slightly softer ground he is expected to encounter here.

Form: 2-1111U

Finian's Oscar²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: R M Power| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 150

13/8

Unbeaten in four outings under rules culminating in a 2m4f Grade 1 success at Aintree (good) earlier this month. Also a winner at the highest level at Sandown earlier this season and likely to prove very hard to beat for a yard who have already tasted success twice from four runners here this week.

Form: 11111

Kemboy⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: D J Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 142

14/1

Successful over 2m3f on his hurdling debut for this stable at Limerick (yielding) in December. Subsequently finished runner-up in a Grade 2 novice hurdle and fifth at Cheltenham last month. Promising individual but more needed to take this.

Form: 125

Outspoken^t²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Mark Walsh| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 139

14/1

Victorious at Naas on soft ground in February and finished runner-up in races won by today's rival Bleu Berry the last twice. Most recent of those efforts came at Fairyhouse earlier this month and likely more needed if he's to take this.

Form: 2-2122

Runfordave²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 142

33/1

Successful at Clonmel on heavy ground in February and ran well when finishing third in a competitive handicap at Cheltenham subsequently. Form of this third at Fairyhouse (soft-to-heavy) earlier this month leaves him with a bit to find with the principals however.

Form: 1F3133

Let's Dance¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Ruby Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 145

3/1

Winner of a Grade 2 contest over 2m1f at Cheltenham last month and subsequently finished runner-up behind a stablemate when odds-on for a Grade 1 event over 2m4f at Fairyhouse (good-to-yielding) earlier this month. .A leading contender from a top stable.

Form: 111112

The Nipper³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: G Sheehan| T: W Greatrex| OR: 135

25/1

Winner of her last three outings in novice company. All three affairs have been run on heavy ground including at Haydock last month and improvement is likely needed in this contest.

Form: 1-RF111

Non-Runners

Moulin A Vent²

Weight: 11-10| Age: 5

T: N Meade J: Sean Flanagan

Forecasts

Finian's Oscar (13/8), Let's Dance (3/1), Death Duty (9/2), Bleu Berry (8/1), Bacardys (10/1), Kemboy (14/1), Outspoken (14/1), The Nipper (25/1), Moulin A Vent (33/1), Runfordave (33/1)

The unbeaten FINIAN'S OSCAR can register a third success at this level by taking this 2m4f contest for a yard that have saddled two wins already at this meeting. The selection was a winner in Grade 1 company at Aintree last time out and can get the better of Let's Dance who finished runner-up at Fairyhouse earlier this month while Cheltenham disappointments Death Duty and Bacardys are others to take note of in this contest.