14:35 Punchestown

Saturday 28 April 2018

All14:3515:1015:5016:2517:0017:3518:1018:40

Dooley Insurances Cross Country Chase

Off time: 14:35 | Winning time: 7m 1.50s

Hurricane Darwin^t⁴⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 12-3| J: D F O'Regan| T: A Fleming| OR: 132| D

7/1

Has plenty of experience of banks fences, disappointing in the cross country at Cheltenham but may have found that a bit too hard and this is easier. Previous fourth to Auvergnat over these fences puts him right in the picture.

Form: 01104P

Fergiethelegend^b³⁰

Age: 12| Weight: 11-12| J: I J McCarthy| T: J G Carr| OR: 79| CD

100/1

Well into the veteran stage now and hasn't shown anything like solid form for some time. No realistic chance here.

Form: P-03507

Josies Orders^p²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Ms N Carberry| T: E Bolger| OR: 135| BF| CD

6/5

Quality performer at best, just denied in the La Touche earlier in the week, a welcome return to form after a couple of moderate efforts. Has to be high on the shortlist for this off the back of that.

Form: 3026P2

Black Benny^t¹³

Age: 13| Weight: 11-7| J: A E Lynch| T: P Maher| OR: 131| D

14/1

Winner of a point-to-point on his latest start but that form leaves him well short of what's required here. Plenty on his plate.

Form: 9-03961

Blue Templar^b1⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr D O'Connor| T: E Bolger| OR: 92| BF

7/1

Made favourite but just denied in the opening event of the Festival on Tuesday, but stuck on in game fashion and clearly handles these fences. Change of headgear today might eke out a bit more, but it needs to.

Form: S-36332

Burning Issues¹³

Age: 11| Weight: 11-7| J: J P O'Sullivan⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 97

66/1

Moderate handicap hurdler/chaser that is out of form, well beaten most starts and can't be looked at as the likely winner here.

Form: 6807UP

Mia's Milan^p⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: Sean Flanagan| T: D P Murphy| D

40/1

Outran his 33/1 to finish fourth to Just Wait And See (Blue Templar some 12l in front of him) in the Festival's opener on Tuesday but even that effort leaves him some way below the main protagonists here.

Form: 333U-54

My Hometown²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr R W Barron⁽⁷⁾| T: E Bolger| OR: 114| D

10/1

Still in front when falling six out in the La Touche on Saturday but too far out to say where he would have finished. Has other experience of these fences but simply doesn't look good enough.

Form: 57468F

Sammy Black^t⁷⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: R Loughran| T: A Fleming| OR: 131

33/1

Useful at his peak and has completed over these fences before, but appears on the downgrade and recent efforts wouldn't be good enough to trouble the principals here.

Form: 0F8/P-46

The Crafty Butcher²⁶⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 11-7| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 135| D

9/2

Useful handicap chaser at his best, and there's plenty of pieces of form over the last two years that give him a chance, but hasn't been seen since August and has no experience of these fences. Not ruled out, but a bit to prove.

Form: 32F3P-7

Tom Horn^p²

Age: 12| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr N O'Rourke⁽⁷⁾| T: P Maher| OR: 107| D

66/1

Well beaten on Thursday in the La Touche and an awful lot to do to reverse that form with those in front of him that reoppose.

Form: 0P9P47

Vital Island^t⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr S F O'Keeffe⁽⁷⁾| T: R P O'Keeffe| D

50/1

Twice a point-to-point winner this year and from from disgraced when fifth to Just Wait And See over these fences on Tuesday, but faces an uphill task at the weights.

Form: PP7115

Ballydarsi^p⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Mr B J Walsh⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 74| D

50/1

Modest pointer and chaser that unseated over these fences Tuesday, but 66/1 price tag suggested little was expected anyway.

Form: 76754U

Senators Glory^p⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-0| J: J J Slevin| T: S Slevin| D

33/1

Placed in a few point-to-points but well beaten over C&D on Tuesday and no realistic chance of success here.

Form: 2532F6

Non-Runners

Ballyboker Bridge²

Weight: 11-12| Age: 11

T: P Maher J: Mr B O Walsh

Forecasts

Josies Orders (6/5), The Crafty Butcher (9/2), Hurricane Darwin (7/1), Blue Templar (7/1), Ballyboker Bridge (8/1), My Hometown (10/1), Black Benny (14/1), Senators Glory (33/1), Sammy Black (33/1), Mia's Milan (40/1), Vital Island (50/1), Ballydarsi (50/1), Tom Horn (66/1), Burning Issues (66/1), Fergiethelegend (100/1)

Probably only a handful to concentrate on, and after his return to form in the La Touche earlier in the week, JOSIES ORDERS looks ready to get back on the scoresheet. A wonderful servant to the yard in banks and cross country chases over the past few years, he can make his class tell. Ballyboker Bridge has run some of his best races at the track and can take another prize home. The Crafty Butcher would be interesting if taking to this new test, but at this stage both Blue Templar and Hurricane Darwin hold stronger claims.