17:35 Punchestown

Saturday 29 April 2017

All14:3515:1015:5016:2517:0017:3518:1018:40

Ballymore Handicap Hurdle (Grade B)

Off time: 17:39 | Winning time: 4m 55.40s

Renneti^b¹²^{(ex 4)}

Age: 8| Weight: 11-13| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 149

16/1

Has shown signs of temperament but followed up his eighth in the County Hurdle by readily outpointing some useful types at Fairyhouse 12 days ago. Well handicapped on that form but no guarantees the same horse will show up and jockey bookings suggest he is not the stable's main hope.

Form: 43/2381-

Thomas Hobson¹¹^{(ex 7)}

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Katie Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 143

16/1

Back to form at Fairyhouse last time when coming out clear best of those ridden prominently. Won with something to spare but a 7lb penalty demands further improvement.

Form: P-39P01

Open Eagle³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 148

20/1

Winner at Thurles on his reappearance but has plenty to do at the weights judged on his novice form and is clearly held by Thomas Hobson.

Form: 12218-1

Milsean^t³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: C Brassil⁽⁵⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 142

33/1

Signs of approaching his 2015 form when fourth here on Wednesday on yard debut. Still looks to have something to find.

Form: 07F840-

Air Horse One⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: N P Madden| T: H Fry| OR: 141

8/1

Has looked a different horse this season and has matured into an accomplished handicapper. Produced a career best by staying on to grab fourth in the County Hurdle. Will be better suited by this longer trip and represents a yard who are 4-9 here.

Form: 641114

Oscar Sam²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: R M Power| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 141

8/1

Loves it here, as a record of 31123 in completed handicaps here shows. Kept fresh for this and handicapper has pushed him up another 3lb for a good effort here in February. Brought down on Thursday and will run another solid race if none the worse for the experience.

Form: 0-0813B

Geordie Des Champs²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: J M Moore| T: Miss R Curtis| OR: 140

14/1

Looked useful when completing a hat-trick of novice wins. Showed the ground was wrong when disappointing at Warwick by running a big race at Aintree three weeks ago. Stable form is a concern along with a rise in the weights.

Form: 111263

Modem^p¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: P D Kennedy⁽³⁾| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 140

20/1

No more than fairly weighted based on his hurdling form. Could have more to offer now tackling a trip which his Flat form indicates will make more use of his stamina.

Form: 43/0449-

Dream Berry^t²²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: L P Dempsey| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 139

20/1

Progressive over hurdles and closely matched with Geordie Des Champs on running at Aintree. Stable in form but are 0-9 here in recent seasons.

Form: 1-P6132

Allblak Des Places⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: D J Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 138

40/1

No signs of him coming close to reproducing his novice form and better efforts have come on much softer ground.

Form: 12/50P0-

Automated⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: B J Cooper| T: G Elliott| OR: 137

16/1

Travels strongly in his races and well suited to the strong pace he gets in big fields. Attracted good support for the Coral Cup in the ante-post market but finished lame on the day. Too early to write off and interesting that winning rider is back in the saddle.

Form: 345105-

Bonbon Au Miel³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Ruby Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 137

8/1

Hard to evaluate having struggled to prevail in a Cork conditions race last time. Had previously produced a much better effort to chase home Hidden Cyclone at Leopardstown on his reappearance when Diakali was well behind. Would be well handicapped if that form is reliable and if his Cork run was excused for coming too quickly. Jockey booking suggests he is the main hope of a stable that took this four times between 2009-13 but have drawn a blank since.

Form: 231/21

Carrig Cathal¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 137

14/1

Has been going well in hotly contested races lately and continues to get little help from the handicapper. Should be thereabouts again.

Form: 4BU324

Scoir Mear⁴⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Mark Walsh| T: T Mullins| OR: 137

8/1

Poorly weighted with Automated on running at Navan in December. Has since produced an excellent run in the Coral Cup when denied a clear passage and running on well past beaten horses up the Cheltenham hill. May still be improving and worth noting in the market for an owner who likes a tilt at the ring in these competitive handicaps.

Form: 112225

Sire Du Berlais⁸³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 137

9/1

Just the one start since arriving from France, finishing third in a Listed novice hurdle over 2m at Punchestown in February. Steps up significantly is distance for this.

Form: 313

Livelovelaugh²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 135

9/1

Wide margin scorer at Thurles over this trip in February and far from disgraced in the Neptune at Cheltenham since. Ran above this mark in a conditions race last time and potentially well treated for handicap debut.

Form: 143104

Protek Des Flos⁷⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-8| J: J S McGarvey| T: N J Henderson| OR: 134

25/1

Has failed to build on the promise of his juvenile form which no longer looks as strong as it did at the time. Has plenty to find following two lacklustre efforts this term.

Form: 2112-44

Swamp Fox¹²²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-8| J: B T O'Connell| T: J G Murphy| OR: 134

50/1

Impressive winner at Listowel in September but handicapper has been in charge since. Last of three in a Listed event over Christmas period and has been waiting for better ground since.

Form: 3/13030-

Derulo^b³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: J J Slevin⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss E Doyle| OR: 133

14/1

Has been transformed by the application of blinkers and fulfilled the promise of a run at Leopardstown by scoring at Downpatrick last time. Handicapper may be in charge now.

Form: 164641

Grand Partner^p1¹¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-7| J: M A Enright| T: T Mullins| OR: 133

50/1

Winner of a couple of races this season. Recent efforts suggest a busy campaign and the handicapper are catching up with him. Cheekpieces now tried in a bid to perk him up.

Form: 013280-

Pique Sous^t⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 10-7| J: Rachael Blackmore⁽³⁾| T: W P Mullins| OR: 133

20/1

Form appeared to be deteriorating until he produced his best effort for some while on Tuesday. Stable jockeys have looked elsewhere.

Form: 161P/04

Mine Now⁷⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 10-3| J: R P Treacy⁽⁵⁾| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 129

33/1

Raised 7lb for Gowran Park success in February over 2m4f. Runner-up well beaten twice since. Career-high mark and faster ground are concerns.

Form: 0-27021

Bel Ami De Sivola²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade| OR: 128

25/1

Can be forgiven latest two runs in Grade One company, is just 5lb higher than when winning at Fairyhouse in January and should be competitive for trainer who had a winner here earlier this week.

Form: 1115P8-

After Rain^h¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-1| J: Donagh Meyler⁽³⁾| T: J R Barry| OR: 127

12/1

Closely matched with Thomas Hobson on running last time. Stepping up in distance and should be all the more competitive for it. Declared as first reserve.

Form: 093034-

Non-Runners

Diakali¹²

Weight: 11-13| Age: 8

T: W P Mullins J: Unknown Jockey

Jeannot De Nonant¹³

Weight: 10-11| Age: 5

T: G Elliott J: M P Fogarty

Jack Dillinger¹⁸

Weight: 10-1| Age: 6

T: E P Harty J: Reserve 2

Chambord Du Lys¹¹

Weight: 10-1| Age: 5

T: W P Mullins J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Air Horse One (8/1), Oscar Sam (8/1), Scoir Mear (8/1), Bonbon Au Miel (8/1), Livelovelaugh (9/1), Sire Du Berlais (9/1), After Rain (12/1), Diakali (12/1), Carrig Cathal (14/1), Derulo (14/1), Geordie Des Champs (14/1), Automated (16/1), Renneti (16/1), Thomas Hobson (16/1), Open Eagle (20/1), Dream Berry (20/1), Modem (20/1), Chambord Du Lys (20/1), Pique Sous (20/1), Jack Dillinger (20/1), Bel Ami De Sivola (25/1), Protek Des Flos (25/1), Mine Now (33/1), Milsean (33/1), Jeannot De Nonant (33/1), Allblak Des Places (40/1), Grand Partner (50/1), Swamp Fox (50/1)

Willie Mullins field a strong team for this with Bonbon Au Miel, Thomas Hobson and LIVELOVELAUGH spearheading that challenge. The former is the choice of Ruby Walsh and is impossible to evaluate judged on two wildly contradictory performances this season. His reappearance effort suggests he is thrown in here whilst his subsequent Cork victory gives him plenty to find. It is possible his Cork run came too soon and he may prove to be better than a handicapper. Thomas Hobson holds a number of these based on his latest victory but LIVELOVELAUGH makes his handicap debut having ben highly tried in his last two starts. Prior to those runs he had beaten stable companion Aussie Reigns 20L and given that horse is rated 129 he looks well in here on a mark of 135. Gordon Elliott also has a strong squad assembled for this and Automated appears their best hope whilst Air Horse One looks the pick of the British raiders.