12:55 Punchestown

Sunday 9 December 2018

All12:2012:5513:2514:0014:3015:0515:40

Punchestown Racecourse Of The Year Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 12:57 | Winning time: 4m 58.10s

Aonghus Song¹⁸⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: D N Russell| T: P G Kelly

40/1

Maiden point-to-point winner on debut finished third next before joining this yard. Likely need further in time so only of minor appeal although jockey booking noted.

Form: 13

Beltrame^t²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: I J McCarthy| T: P W Flynn

100/1

Some promise in first hurdle at Fairyhouse when sixth of 13 but subsequently tailed off when 18th of 22 at Naas and hard to fancy on the back of that.

Form: 060

Bootlegger

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: S J Gray⁽³⁾| T: E J O'Grady

66/1

Newcomer by Kayf Tara cost €65,000 as a three-year-old and is a half-brother to a 3m point-to-point and 3m1f hurdles winner. Represents respected yard so not ruled out but may need further to excel.

Form:

Captain Courageous⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: G N Fox| T: G P Cromwell

80/1

81-rated dual flat winner (1m-1m2f) finished midfield in a similar contest at Fairyhouse beaten 38L at 66/1. Huge step up needed on that and unlikely to be involved significantly.

Form: 0

Cockbridge Paddy

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: D F O'Regan| T: K P Egan

100/1

Newcomer by Whitmore's Conn is the first know foal of an unraced mare by Milan. Small yard so would have to be considered very unlikely he can be involved here.

Form:

Cuneo^p1²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead

6/1

Tramore bumper winner looked to have made a winning start over hurdles here (2m6f) only to be demoted to third in the judges room. Obviously therefore has the best hurdles form and leading candidate here.

Form: 4321-D

Dream Conti²³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade

10/1

€235,000 son of Lauro started to pay that back when winning a Fairyhouse bumper on debut. Fourth that day was Dinons who has won five times already over hurdles so form solid and expect a bold bid on his hurdles debut.

Form: 1-

Esthers Present⁴²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: P E Corbett⁽³⁾| T: R McNally

100/1

Point-to-point winner has run six times over fences and twice hurdles, finishing unplaced in all of them. Expecting more of the same here.

Form: 1686-8P

Golden Drumlee¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr N McParlan⁽³⁾| T: S McParlan

66/1

Debut Irish point-to-point winner two years ago, but has had just two rules run since then, last in a Punchestown bumper in April and fell at the third at Ayr last month. Plenty to prove now.

Form: 1/0-F

Hotel Du Nord²⁰⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean O'Keeffe⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs J Harrington| BF

33/1

£50,000 purchase after winning a Kirkistown point-to-point in which only two finished was made favourite for a Killarney bumper in May but was too free and a remote sixth of ten. Will do better in time but likely need this run.

Form: 1-5

Press Conference²²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: P D Kennedy| T: Mrs J Harrington| BF

11/1

Point-to-point winner who ran well on debut for this yard at Naas when second but failed to build on that next here when seventh as favourite. One of four for this yard on hurdles bow but place prospect at best would suggest.

Form: 3/127-

Take Revenge^t⁸⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: D J McInerney⁽³⁾| T: M Brassil

33/1

Comfortably won a Maiden point-to-point in March. Midfield next in a bumper before recent fair third at Listowel over hurdles albeit beaten 21L. Looks a prospect for handicaps later on.

Form: P1-53

Tornado Flyer²²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Ruby Walsh| T: W P Mullins| C

4/9

Eagerly awaited hurdles debutant who followed his Cheltenham Champion bumper third by turning the tables on the winner when winning the Grade One Champion here. Fully expect this one to be a leading Cheltenham prospect and will be hard to beat.

Form: 131-

Twodoorsdown⁴⁷¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: E O'Connell⁽⁵⁾| T: A J Martin

80/1

Showed glimpses of ability in three bumpers last summer although only once placed. Starts out for new yard now after lengthy absence and best watched here.

Form: 637-

Discordantly²²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-8| J: Brian Hayes| T: Mrs J Harrington

28/1

Finished midfield here in a bumper last backend beaten 16L by Passageway. Some ability shown there but likely to find this a tough ask and best watched for further down the line.

Form: 7-

Kalum River²²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-8| J: D J Mullins| T: P A Fahy| C

10/1

Winner here on debut in a bumper followed that up with seconds at Listowel and Tipperary before again second back here for hurdles debut. This a deeper race but hard to see him not giving a good account and certainly has each-way claims.

Form: 1-222

Thegoaheadman¹⁸⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-8| J: C J Orr⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs J Harrington

66/1

Gradual improvement in four point-to-points culminating in a second placed effort in final start. One of four for trainer here on debut under rules but surprising if he's sharp enough to contend.

Form: PP-42

Do As You Wish^h1¹⁰³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: N P Madden| T: A Mullins

66/1

Lone filly in the race ran well on debut when fourth of 20 in a Galway bumper but only midfield next at Ballinrobe. Hooded for hurdles bow and plenty to do to get involved.

Form: 47

Non-Runners

Diamond Turf³⁷

Weight: 11-12| Age: 5

T: G Elliott J: Jack Kennedy

School Boy Hours²⁹

Weight: 11-12| Age: 5

T: N Meade J: Mark Walsh

Drifting Back²⁶⁵

Weight: 11-8| Age: 4

T: E McNamara J: C P McNamara

Forecasts

Tornado Flyer (4/9), Cuneo (6/1), Dream Conti (10/1), Kalum River (10/1), School Boy Hours (10/1), Press Conference (11/1), Diamond Turf (12/1), Drifting Back (20/1), Discordantly (28/1), Take Revenge (33/1), Hotel Du Nord (33/1), Aonghus Song (40/1), Bootlegger (66/1), Golden Drumlee (66/1), Do As You Wish (66/1), Thegoaheadman (66/1), Captain Courageous (80/1), Twodoorsdown (80/1), Beltrame (100/1), Esthers Present (100/1), Cockbridge Paddy (100/1)

Willie Mullins won this with subsequent Supreme Novices Hurdle favourite Getabird last season and he has another exciting prospect to unleash here in top class bumper performer TORNADO FLYER. This will be the five-year-olds first run over hurdles but if he jumps adequately he will surely have too much class for these rivals. Cuneo will find any chinks in the selections armour having already finished first past the post in a hurdle contest so he is the obvious danger. Dream Conti like the selection is a potentially smart prospect on this his hurdles bow.