14:45 Punchestown

Saturday 13 January 2018

All12:2513:0013:3514:1014:4515:2015:50

sportinglife.com Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 14:48 | Winning time: 4m 11.7s

Ballynanty^t¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Donagh Meyler| T: Mrs D Foster

80/1

Rated 102 at his best on the Flat but form tailed off in that sphere during 2017 and plenty to prove at present following a couple of heavy defeats in this sphere since joining this yard.

Form: 00

Eagle Lion^t1⁷⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: D N Russell| T: P G Kelly

16/1

Plenty to like about his third in a Galway (soft-to-heavy) bumper when making his belated debut back in October. Interesting to see how he fares on today's hurdling debut.

Form: 3

Ger's Lad

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: A Ring⁽³⁾| T: G Elliott

20/1

Unraced son of Kalanisi purchased for €23,000 as a three-year-old. Represents a leading stable and worth a check in the market on racecourse debut.

Form:

Gun Digger¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G Elliott| D

12/1

Bumper winner over 2m at Thurles (heavy) in November and put in a couple of decent efforts in maiden hurdles since. One to note int his contest.

Form: P2/4144

Impact Factor¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: R M Power| T: Mrs J Harrington

4/7

Made the frame on all four outings so far including twice over hurdles since joining this yard last year. Most recent of those placings came when 2L second at Leopardstown (yielding) last month and he is one for the shortlist today.

Form: 32-22

Around The Block

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: L P Dempsey| T: F J Flood

66/1

Unraced son of Flemensfirth cost €42,000 as a foal at the sales. Half-brother to dual winner Toviere and interesting to see how he fares on debut.

Form:

Cooldine Bog⁶⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr E Dwan⁽⁷⁾| T: A Slattery

100/1

Ran well in defeat on his first three point-to-point starts but pulled up on yielding ground last time out and probably best watched on rules debut.

Form: 433P

Grande Waltz²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Dillon Maxwell⁽⁷⁾| T: A McNamara

100/1

Winner off a mark of 45 on the Flat but pulled up in two of his three hurdles starts to date and probably best watched at present.

Form: P-0P

It's Only A Number

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: M A Enright| T: F J Flood

66/1

Unraced home-bred Oscar gelding out of a mare who won three times over hurdles and once in a bumper. Worth a check in the market on debut.

Form:

Kesselring⁴⁸⁷

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

9/2

Winner on soft ground on the Flat when trained by Richard Hannon and a half-brother to a number of useful Flat performers. One to note on his debut for a leading jumps yard today.

Form:

Monition

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: D F O'Regan| T: G Elliott

14/1

Unraced gelding by Stowaway and a full-brother to top class performer Champagne Fever among others. Represents a leading yard today and an interesting runner on today's racecourse debut.

Form:

Niven^t¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade

14/1

Winner three times on the Flat and placed on his first two starts for this stable over hurdles in the autumn. Disappointing the last twice and more needed today.

Form: 430-324

Plouios⁷⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Mark Walsh| T: H De Bromhead

14/1

Point-to-point winner on good ground in the spring but proved a disappointment when seventh at Wexford (2m, soft) in a maiden hurdle on rules debut in October and others make more appeal today.

Form: 1-7

Steer Clear³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: R Loughran| T: P Roche

100/1

Beaten 124L when making his debut in a 2m4f maiden hurdle at Punchestown (heavy) last month and likely to struggle once more.

Form: 0

O'gradys Girl¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: B Browne⁽⁵⁾| T: L P Cusack

100/1

Well held when making her debut in a 2m2f maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse (heavy) at the start of this month and probably best watched at present.

Form: 0

Non-Runners

Warlike Intent⁵⁸

Weight: 11-12| Age: 6

T: G Elliott J: Brian Hayes

Never Can Tell⁴²

Weight: 11-10| Age: 5

T: E Cawley J: C D Timmons

Forecasts

Impact Factor (4/7), Warlike Intent (2/1), Kesselring (9/2), Gun Digger (12/1), Niven (14/1), Monition (14/1), Plouios (14/1), Eagle Lion (16/1), Ger's Lad (20/1), It's Only A Number (66/1), Around The Block (66/1), Never Can Tell (66/1), Ballynanty (80/1), Steer Clear (100/1), Cooldine Bog (100/1), Grande Waltz (100/1), O'gradys Girl (100/1)

IMPACT FACTOR has put in a couple of sound efforts since joining this stable and he can go one better than on each of those occasions in this maiden hurdle. The selection chased home the classy Getabird who runs in the previous race here last time out and can see off Warlike Intent who was the winner of a bumper on rules debut and can finish second on his first outing over hurdles. Flat winner Kesselring can finish third on his debut for this leading stable while the well-bred Monition is another of interest on his racecourse debut.