14:10 Punchestown

Sunday 31 December 2017

All12:3513:0513:4014:1014:4015:1515:45

Festival Hospitality On Sale 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 14:15 | Winning time: 4m 15.3s

Buffalo Blues¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: C M Leonard⁽⁷⁾| T: P A Fahy

66/1

Flat winner in a claimer for Ger Lyons, but both efforts over hurdles so far have been poor and difficult to see him leaving those performances behind.

Form: 09

Ilikehim⁵⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: R Loughran| T: W Durkan

40/1

Maiden on the Flat and was well-beaten by Warnaq on one of those starts. No reason why he should reverse that form now going hurdling.

Form:

Les Arceaux⁶⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: D Robinson⁽⁵⁾| T: H De Bromhead

7/2

Progressive on the Flat and makes his debut over hurdles now having won three times on the level. Is in capable hands for this first run over obstacles.

Form:

Muzbid²¹¹

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: D G Hogan| T: D Hogan

8/1

Won one of his three runs on the Flat (a Killarney maiden), but doesn't have the most obvious jumps pedigree and comes back here after a break.

Form:

Noble Intention²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Donagh Meyler| T: A J Martin

66/1

Managed one win in a minor event on the Flat but most moderate form in that sphere and that has translated into two heavy defeats over hurdles so far.

Form: 00

Veneer Of Charm⁷⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott

10/3

Only 1/13 on the Flat but was still progressive and jockey bookings suggest he may be considered the first string of his top trainer here.

Form:

Waterville Dancer⁸³

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: D J McInerney⁽⁵⁾| T: C Byrnes

12/1

Eight race maiden on the Flat. Went close to getting off the mark on a few occasions but others bring more encouraging form from the level.

Form:

Azua Emery^t²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 10-7| J: Liam McKenna⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| BF

3/1

Two solid efforts over hurdles so far (runner-up on both occasions). Couldn't justify favouritism on either occasion but is clearly well-regarded and may go close here.

Form: 22

Warnaq⁵⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 10-7| J: A E Lynch| T: M J Smith

7/2

A winner of a Naas maiden on the Flat having run well on two other starts. Starts off over obstacles here and has shown the ability to run a big race.

Form:

Non-Runners

Gloves On¹⁴³

Weight: 11-0| Age: 3

T: J W Nicholson J: M A Enright

Msassa³⁰⁰

Weight: 11-0| Age: 3

T: W P Mullins J: Paul Townend

Forecasts

Msassa (7/4), Azua Emery (3/1), Veneer Of Charm (10/3), Les Arceaux (7/2), Warnaq (7/2), Muzbid (8/1), Waterville Dancer (12/1), Gloves On (14/1), Ilikehim (40/1), Noble Intention (66/1), Buffalo Blues (66/1)

A few of these bring some nice Flat form into the race, including Warnaq, a winner of a Naas maiden last time out, but preference is for MSASSA. This gelding by Sholokhov ran promisingly enough on his sole start in France. Having now been acquired by a top trainer in Willie Mullins everything looks set for him to run a big race here, following the footsteps of other French imports for this yard. Veneer Of Charm is narrowly preferred of the two Elliott runners, albeit mostly due to jockey bookings.