15:40 Punchestown

Thursday 26 April 2018

All15:4016:1516:5017:3018:0518:4019:1519:45

JLT Handicap Hurdle (88-123)

Off time: 15:40 | Winning time: 3m 59.3s

Conright Boy^t²⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Donagh Meyler| T: Mrs C O'Leary| OR: 123| D

33/1

Lightly-raced for a nine-year-old and had been progressing nicely when winning at Fairyhouse (2m, soft) on New Year's Day 2017. Spent over a year off, pulled up on return at Cork this month and stiff ask here off top weight.

Form: 4/P010-P

Jack Dillinger¹¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: D E Mullins| T: E P Harty| OR: 123

20/1

Yet to win in eight hurdles starts, held this season when going handicapping at Naas (2m4f, soft to heavy) and Leopardstown (2m, soft). Off since December and needs to find plenty despite being eased 2lb.

Form: 44U-308

Balzac Turgot^t⁸¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: D Robinson⁽⁵⁾| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 122| D

25/1

Lightly-raced, tailed off on handicap debut at Leopardstown (3m, soft) in February. Did win his maiden hurdle over this trip at Limerick (good) in May 2016. Not especially well treated for this drop in distance.

Form: 8/123-50

Deor²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: A McCurtin⁽⁵⁾| T: J E Kiely| OR: 122| D

33/1

Lightly-raced Cork maiden hurdle winner (2m, good), struggled in big-field handicaps at Leopardstown either side of New Year, latest being near 20L defeat in 2m Coral Hurdle in February. Not an obvious contender on form.

Form: 1480

Lilshane¹³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-11| J: K J Brouder⁽⁷⁾| T: T P O'Connor| OR: 122| D

33/1

Now a 10-year-old and well beaten in this contest last year off a 1lb lower mark. Put a string of disappointing efforts behind him to win at Ballinrobe 13 days ago. Raised 5lb and in deeper water here.

Form: P59UR1

Call A Cab²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: B J Geraghty| T: P A Fahy| OR: 121| CD

13/2

Broke his maiden over hurdles over slightly further here in February (soft to heavy) and perhaps found 2m4f beyond him on handicap bow at Fairyhouse this month in unforgiving ground. Unexposed and could be plenty more to come.

Form: 5415

Dara Tango^t¹³²

Age: 11| Weight: 11-10| J: E O'Connell⁽⁷⁾| T: A J Martin| OR: 121| D

33/1

Twice a winner over hurdles back in 2012, spent a long period on the sidelines and while he's won the Flat since his return it would be a shock should he prevail off this rating on first hurdles run in over three years.

Form: 124324/

Moonmeister^t¹⁸⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: A E Lynch| T: A J Martin| OR: 121

50/1

Couple of hurdles win in 2015 in maiden/novice company when trained by Gordon Elliott, proved useful on the Flat for this yard, most recently winning off 86 at Cork (1m4f, good to firm) last summer and capable of going well fresh. Noted.

Form: 11P24/0-

Force Of Forces³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: B J Cooper| T: W P Mullins| OR: 120

12/1

Maiden hurdle winner at Fairyhouse (2m4f, heavy) in February on second start for this top yard. Didn't appear to get home at Clonmel (2m6f, heavy) next time. Down in trip on handicap debut and here could be more to come.

Form: F8-413

Neverushacon^p,t¹²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: R M Power| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 119| D

10/1

Out of form this season over fences and couldn't take advantage of reduced hurdles mark at Leopardstown (2m, soft) in December. Yard find winners hard to get and tough to fancy returned from a break.

Form: 1P4648

Rebelion Boy^t¹⁷⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: M A Enright| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 119| D

40/1

Tipperary maiden hurdle winner in May last year (2m, good), no impact in five starts over fences in late autumn/early winter. Off since November and another from the Harrington team facing a big ask on return.

Form: 07F99P

Stowaway Forever³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: L P Dempsey| T: J P Dempsey| OR: 119

14/1

Fair form in handicaps at Naas and Navan of late on soft/heavy going, twice finishing second at former venue before another fair showing at Navan last month. Crept up 6lb without winning as a result but retains scope for further improvement.

Form: 449224

Chesterfield King²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: D J McInerney⁽⁵⁾| T: J P Dempsey| OR: 118| D

9/1

Winner of a novice hurdle at Fairyhouse on his penultimate outing and ran well to finish runner-up in a handicap at Leopardstown (2m, soft) last time out. Stiff ask off a 6lb higher mark in this field.

Form: 484124

Eastview Boy^p1¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: D F O'Regan| T: P A Kirby| OR: 117| D

20/1

Interesting British raider, has won both starts since return from a 395-day layoff. Latest at Newcastle (2m4½f, heavy) where four flights of hurdles were omitted. 5lb higher for this, drop in trip suits and not discounted in new headgear.

Form: 162P-11

Lareena²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 113| BF| D

8/1

Filly won a maiden at Thurles (2m, heavy) last month on fourth start for this yard. Pulled up on handicap debut at Cork (2m3f, soft to heavy) early this month. Too soon to be discounting her now back over the minimum trip.

Form: 2/0221P

On The Mend²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Mark Walsh| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 113

33/1

No real impact in maiden hurdles (long way behind Lareena at Thurles) and unfancied on handicap debut at Fairyhouse (2m, heavy) this month when weakening out of contention from two out. Has plenty to find but with a good yard and better to come.

Form: P7659

The Irregular^p²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: D G Hogan| T: D Hogan| OR: 113| D

25/1

Exposed sort who won a 2m good-ground handicap at Kilbeggan last summer off a 5lb lower mark. This is a lot tougher and was well beaten off in a chase at Fairyhouse earlier in the month.

Form: 335599

Flaviana^t²⁴⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: P D Kennedy⁽³⁾| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 112| D

33/1

Three-time winner over hurdles, could be given some claims from this mark but returning here from a 245-day layoff and was out of sorts over fence when last spotted. Recent stable form is also off-putting.

Form: U4662P

Play With The Wind²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: J S McGarvey| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 112

33/1

Lightly-raced sort, unable to make a mark in maiden hurdles or on handicap debut at Fairyhouse (2m, heavy) earlier this month. Eased slightly here but needs this better surface to bring about plenty improvement if hoping to be competitive.

Form: 0660

Buonarotti Boy^p²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: J J Burke| T: Mrs S Leech| OR: 111| D

33/1

Modest hurdler, rated 18lb higher than when gaining sole success from 14 attempts in this sphere at Kilbeggan nigh-on two years ago. Ran well enough on debut for this yard on AW recently but needs career-best to score today.

Form: 220-563

Killiney Court^t²²²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: D P Holden⁽⁷⁾| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 111

28/1

A better chaser than he's been a hurdler so far, his record reads 1-16 in this sphere. Lost his way during 2017, mostly over fences, and comes here off a 222-day absence. Will need peak form on these terms.

Form: F-0UU66

Lord In Red^t⁸⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade| OR: 111

18/1

Lightly-raced sort, has shown some potential in trio of maiden hurdles so far - all on soft / heavy going. Potential for doing better off what doesn't appear the harshest opening handicap mark.

Form: 4-75644

Western Ruler²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: M F Morris| OR: 111| D

10/1

Left form of maiden hurdles well behind when springing a 25/1 shock on handicap debut at Fairyhouse (2m, heavy) this month under this talented rider. Gone up 9lb for that win but strong chance there is more to come.

Form: 0-52461

Park Paddocks^h²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 119| D

6/1

Useful Flat maiden picked up for 35,000 gns from William Haggas last summer, the Sea The Stars gelding confirmed his promise in this sphere with easy success in a Cork maiden over the trip recently. Could be well-handicapped on that evidence.

Form: 53621

Apparition⁴⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-8| J: N D Fehily| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 115| D

10/1

Thurles maiden hurdle winner in October (2m, good to yielding), long way behind Chesterfield King at Fairyhouse in February in novice event. Potential improver now handicapping and positive jockey booking.

Form: 31367

Non-Runners

Weather Watch¹⁷⁴

Weight: 11-0| Age: 8

T: J J Lambe J: Reserve 1

Golden Jewel²⁴

Weight: 10-13| Age: 6

T: E Cawley J: Reserve 2

Konig Hall⁴⁵

Weight: 10-12| Age: 10

T: A McCann J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Park Paddocks (6/1), Call A Cab (13/2), Lareena (8/1), Golden Jewel (8/1), Chesterfield King (9/1), Neverushacon (10/1), Apparition (10/1), Western Ruler (10/1), Konig Hall (11/1), Force Of Forces (12/1), Stowaway Forever (14/1), Lord In Red (18/1), Jack Dillinger (20/1), Eastview Boy (20/1), Balzac Turgot (25/1), The Irregular (25/1), Killiney Court (28/1), Flaviana (33/1), Buonarotti Boy (33/1), Deor (33/1), Dara Tango (33/1), Lilshane (33/1), Conright Boy (33/1), On The Mend (33/1), Play With The Wind (33/1), Rebelion Boy (40/1), Moonmeister (50/1), Weather Watch (66/1)

PARK PADDOCKS had any amount in hand when winning a maiden at Cork recently and appears to have plenty scope for doing better things now sent handicapping by the title-chasing Gordon Elliott. This opening mark looks unlikely to test the ceiling of his ability and he can make a winning start in handicaps. Lord In Red has shown enough in maidens to suggest his opening mark won't prove beyond him while Apparition also ranks amongst the potential improvers. Western Ruler dotted up at Fairyhouse on handicap bow and should build a challenge from 9lb higher while Chesterfield King, Eastview Boy and Moonmeister are all worth noting.