15:10 Punchestown

Wednesday 18 October 2017

All14:0514:3515:1015:4016:1016:4517:20

Coral.ie Bet 5 Get 20 In Free Bets Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 15:10 | Winning time: 5m 1.1s

An'ball¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: B J Foley⁽⁵⁾| T: R Hackett

66/1

Second in a 20-runner 2m4f maiden hurdle at Tipperary (good) in July but has failed to kick on from that in three subsequent starts.

Form: 2048

Asbury Boss²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: B J Cooper| T: T Cooper

25/1

Useful winner on the Flat for previous trainer Mick Halford, and showed up prominently until weakening from the final flight when just over 10L fourth to Mengli Khan on hurdles debut (after a year off) at Navan last month.

Form: 4

Beyond The Law¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: R M Power| T: M F Morris

7/1

Winner of a point-to-point in January and ran well when finishing runner-up in a bumper over 2m at Navan (heavy) in March. Posted a promising hurdles debut at Gowran Park (2m heavy) last month when a 3¾L runner up to West Coast Time.

Form: 5/120-2

Borderline Chatho²⁶³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: D F O'Regan| T: A Fleming

7/1

Finished third to Bacardys in a Leopardstown bumper in December 2015, but has been raced sparingly since; winning a 2m3f bumper at Naas in January 2017. Noteworthy hurdles newcomer.

Form: 3/1-

Cousin Pascal³⁷²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Phillip Enright| T: D G Murphy

100/1

Shown moderate form in point-to-points and bumpers thus far, and can be expected to find plenty too strong on this his hurdles debut.

Form: 5/P70-

Cracking Smart^t¹⁸³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott

4/7

Made a pleasing transition since switched from France and was a runner up to Midnight Escape in a 24 runner maiden hurdle at Naas in February (2m3f soft). Took a Fairyhouse bumper in style subsequently and now back over hurdles with a bright future.

Form: F21-

Credo Vivo^h1¹⁹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Danny Mullins| T: J Motherway

33/1

Runner up in a couple of 3m point-to-points in the early part of 2017. Switches to hurdles for rules debut wearing a hood.

Form: 22-

Derrinross^t1²⁵⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: L P Dempsey| T: J P Dempsey

14/1

Runner up to the Willie Mullins trained Next Destination on his rules debut in a 2m soft ground Fairyhouse bumper on New Years Day. Not quite so strong here subsequently, but looks the type to win races over hurdles with time.

Form: 1/23-

Matin D'anjou³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: A E Lynch| T: J H Culloty

50/1

Never nearer when third to Champolean on his second hurdles start at Listowel last month (3m heavy), so it's a surprise to see him dropped in trip, and he shouldn't prove strong enough in this contest.

Form: 57-73

Rock Road¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: B Browne⁽⁵⁾| T: M J Bowe

20/1

Slow to come to hand, but posted an improved effort at Fairyhouse (2m good/yielding) when filling the second spot to the long odds on unextended winner Fayonagh. Likely to do better once handicapping.

Form: 74-05P2

Silver Concorde⁴⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Paul Townend| T: D K Weld| OR: 134

10/1

Well known veteran who remains a maiden over hurdles after seven starts. 1¾L runner up to Young Turk over 2m4f at Bellewstown (good) latest.

Form: 420/2-52

Spike Alen¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: M A Enright| T: Eric Larkin

100/1

Weakened to finish last of six to Secret Legacy after leading on debut in a Tipperary bumper earlier this month. Switches to hurdles for the first time.

Form: 6

Dancing In The Sky

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Brian Hayes| T: J E Kiely

50/1

Unraced gelding by Court Cave out of Agasaya. €15,000 foal, £26,000 three-year-old who ought to be wiser for the experience.

Form:

Dontworryaboutit^t1²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: J P O'Sullivan⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Rothwell

100/1

Never involved when down the field on debut at Downpatrick in September (2m2f soft to heavy), and no reason to expect more today. Tongue tied.

Form: 8

Off You Go¹²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Mark Walsh| T: C Byrnes

33/1

€40,000 foal by Presenting out of Ozzy Oscar (who was herself closely related to Irish Grand National winner Shutthefrontdoor). Beaten 17L when fourth of 16 in a Roscommon maiden hurdle in June (2m yielding to soft).

Form: 4

Ronald Pump¹⁴⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Keith Donoghue| T: M J Smith

100/1

Cheap purchase (€1,000) who finished in mid-division here on debut (2m+) in May, and needs to do significantly better now stepped up in trip on his second start in order to figure.

Form: 0

Shady Operator²¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: B J Geraghty| T: J P O'Brien

14/1

€115,000 three-year-old by Court Cave out of Native Artist. Well related winner of a Limerick bumper in March (2m soft), beating Stooshie by a neck. Expected to progress over hurdles now stepped up in trip.

Form: 1-

Drumbar Millie⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: N Carolan

100/1

Not shown enough in five starts so far (two over hurdles) to say that she can have any meaningful role to play today.

Form: 40560

Kildaven Spider¹⁸³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Donagh Meyler| T: K P Egan

100/1

Has started at sizeable odds on all seven career starts so far, and shown no improvement whatsoever since switched to hurdles. Likely back number.

Form: 0/0070P-

Rolanna^p¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: J J Slevin⁽³⁾| T: W J Martin| OR: 102

40/1

Won just once in 16 starts on the Flat (dead-heat over 1m4f at Down Royal in September 2016), but has made her mark of sorts over hurdles with a couple of placed efforts. Up in trip, but stronger once handicapping.

Form: 4433

Vanellope²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Mr H D Dunne⁽⁵⁾| T: P Croke| D

50/1

Successful in a 2m4f Wexford bumper in March (soft to heavy), beating Burren Life by 5L. Made a reasonable start over hurdles last month when just over 12L fourth of ten to Court Artist (2m4f Ballinrobe, soft to heavy).

Form: 74510-4

Demi Plie²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: R Loughran| T: C Roche

100/1

Nine race maiden (all codes). Finished fourth in a 2m3f Downpatrick maiden hurdle last month on just her second ever start over timber, but needs to up her game in this contest.

Form: 0-4

Non-Runners

Mount Hanover³¹¹

Weight: 11-12| Age: 6

T: H De Bromhead J: Reserve 1

Eviscerating¹⁸⁴

Weight: 11-12| Age: 5

T: M F Morris J: Reserve 2

Montauk Flyer¹⁷⁶

Weight: 11-7| Age: 4

T: D Hogan J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Cracking Smart (4/7), Borderline Chatho (7/1), Beyond The Law (7/1), Silver Concorde (10/1), Shady Operator (14/1), Derrinross (14/1), Rock Road (20/1), Asbury Boss (25/1), Off You Go (33/1), Credo Vivo (33/1), Rolanna (40/1), Vanellope (50/1), Matin D'anjou (50/1), Dancing In The Sky (50/1), An'ball (66/1), Ronald Pump (100/1), Drumbar Millie (100/1), Demi Plie (100/1), Kildaven Spider (100/1), Dontworryaboutit (100/1), Cousin Pascal (100/1), Spike Alen (100/1)

A sizeable field, but as always in these type of contests, it is relatively straightforward to identify the chief contenders. CRACKING SMART is right at the top of the list, and a reproduction of his 1¾L second to stablemate Midnight Escape at Naas in February should prove good enough. However, should he be found wanting for whatever reason, the likes of hurdles debutants Borderline Chatho and Shady Operator have the most untapped potential in order to take full advantage.