14:55 Punchestown

Saturday 17 November 2018

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

Free Festival Upgrade Offer Novice Handicap Hurdle (80-123)

Off time: 14:55 | Winning time: 3m 59.3s

Due Reward¹⁰³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 121| BF| D

9/2

Still travelling well in hat-trick bid at Cork last time when coming to grief three out. Has been given time to get over that and entitled to be in the firing line once again.

Form: 40-411F

Paris Texas^t³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Mark Walsh| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 119

4/1

Solid and consistent finishing positions since May including a well-deserved win at Downpatrick in August and placed efforts since at Clonmel and Galway. Good chance of going well again.

Form: 232132

Star Maker³⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 116

6/1

Got off the mark at the fifth time of asking over hurdles in a Downpatrick maiden in September but well held since in handicap company at Galway. Improvement needed off this mark.

Form: 43-6619

A Place Apart²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: J B Kane⁽⁵⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 109

6/1

Downpatrick maiden hurdle winner (2m2½f, good to yielding) last month and since notched a novice win over fences at Kempton. Clearly in good heart for trainer enjoying a much better season.

Form: 0B0211

Thomas O'Malley^t³¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Paul Townend| T: J R Finn| OR: 107

33/1

0-6 over timber having been easily dismissed in 2m handicap hurdle here last month. First run beyond that trip now and others have more realistic claims it seems.

Form: 2734-F5

Howluckycanwebe¹⁶⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: A E Lynch| T: D McDonogh| OR: 99

22/1

Eight-race maiden over timber, efforts in early summer were well below standard needed and potentially best watched on return.

Form: 5569-79

Party Playboy¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: A W Short⁽³⁾| T: A Mullins| OR: 100

11/1

Has shown enough on the Flat at up to 1m6f to suggest he'll find opportunities over timber, although evidence of three maiden starts not suggesting it will be immediate. Opening mark is certainly no gimme.

Form: 766

Acclamatio^t²³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-13| J: Robbie Colgan| T: A J Martin| OR: 99

15/8

Last-time-out winner on the Flat over 1m4f (good to firm), stable starting to come good now but has work to do based on five unplaced outings over timber.

Form: 9550-0

Forecasts

Acclamatio (15/8), Paris Texas (4/1), Due Reward (9/2), Star Maker (6/1), A Place Apart (6/1), Party Playboy (11/1), Howluckycanwebe (22/1), Thomas O'Malley (33/1)

PARIS TEXAS dips into handicap company for the first time on the back of some consistent efforts and an opening mark of 119 may be within the wheelhouse of Downpatrick maiden hurdle scorer. Due Reward would surely have gone close to the hat-trick at Cork bar a fall and is respected having been given time to get over that mishap while A Place Apart has won over hurdles and fences recently and is another with a big chance for trainer Gavin Cromwell, who is thriving this term.