12:05 Punchestown

Saturday 18 November 2017

All12:0512:3513:1013:4514:2014:5515:2515:55

Luna Bar Supporting Cavan GAA 3-Y-O Hurdle

Off time: 12:06 | Winning time: 4m 12.60s

Mitchouka¹¹

Age: 3| Weight: 11-7| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| D

1/4

Dual winner on the Flat and off the mark at the second attempt over hurdles when justifying odds-on favouritism at Fairyhouse (2m, soft) earlier this month. Likely to prove hard to beat today.

Form: 21

Signifiant¹⁵²

Age: 3| Weight: 11-7| J: A Ring⁽³⁾| T: Mrs S A Bramall

8/1

Winner over hurdles at Fontainebleau (very soft) when with Guillaume Macaire and placed second on his final outing for that trainer back in June. Making his Irish debut in this contest.

Form: 713-72

A Place Apart²⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: B Browne⁽⁵⁾| T: G P Cromwell

33/1

Beaten 22L on both hurdling outings so far including on good-to-yielding at Thurles last month. Has finished a close second on the Flat since but more needed if he's to take this.

Form: 48

Callthebarman

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: G N Fox| T: G P Cromwell

50/1

Unraced gelded son of Lord Shanakill and a half-brother to a number of including the yards classy hurdler Jer's Girl. Worth a check in the market on racecourse debut.

Form:

Cosy Club¹⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: L P Dempsey| T: A Keatley

25/1

Winner over 7f at Ayr (good) back in June but disappointing in the main since. Made a fair start to hurdling when 12L fourth at Down Royal (soft) a fortnight ago but others make more appeal.

Form: 4

Erquy¹¹

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Danny Mullins| T: A Mullins

100/1

Rated just 46 on the Flat and probably best watched at present having finished last of 15 behind Mitchouka on his hurdling debut two weeks ago.

Form: 0

Go Guarantor³⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: M A Enright| T: A Oliver

40/1

Unplaced in all eight starts on the Flat including in blinkers and in cheekpieces in the past. Making his hurdling debut today.

Form:

Havelock¹⁰⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: R Loughran| T: Peter Fahey

50/1

Placed four times in ten starts on the Flat but well held on debut for this yard at Galway (soft) in August and making his hurdling debut having been gelded in the interim period.

Form:

Minnie Dahill¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Ruby Walsh| T: T M Walsh| D

7/1

Winner of a maiden hurdle at Down Royal (yielding) in September and placed over hurdles since. Held on the Flat latest but an interesting runner with a leading jockey in the saddle once more.

Form: 4153

North Carolina⁴⁷⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Mark Walsh| T: J P O'Brien

14/1

Ran well when finishing fourth over 7f at Naas (good) on sole start as a two-year-old for Aidan O'Brien. Unraced since and making his hurdling debut having joined another leading yard.

Form:

Famous Milly^t1²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 10-7| J: A E Lynch| T: G P Cromwell

14/1

Winner on heavy as a two-year-old but well beaten on only start this year and fitted with a tongue tie for today's hurdling debut. Market support would be interesting.

Form:

Forecasts

Mitchouka (1/4), Minnie Dahill (7/1), Signifiant (8/1), Famous Milly (14/1), North Carolina (14/1), Cosy Club (25/1), A Place Apart (33/1), Go Guarantor (40/1), Callthebarman (50/1), Havelock (50/1), Erquy (100/1)

MITCHOUKA can follow up his recent victory at Down Royal by following up in this opening juvenile hurdle. The selection impressed with the ease of his victory on that occasion and can take this before going on to better things. North Carolina represents a leading stable today and having ran well on his sole start at two he can claim second on his first outing in well over a year while previous hurdles winner Minnie Dahill can finish third.