18:40 Punchestown

Saturday 4 May 2019

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

30th Running Punchestown Charity Race

Off time: 18:42 | Winning time: 3m 42.50s

Callthebarman¹⁸⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 12-9| J: Frank Brady| T: G P Cromwell

20/1

Won a handicap chase at Ayr when last seen in October. Rated 106 over hurdles the gelding has won over similar distances previously. Makes Flat debut.

Form:

Flat To The Max²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 12-6| J: Redmond Barry| T: G Elliott| OR: 88

3/1

Won on Flat debut for Ger Lyons last spring before joining current yard. Third of six at Gowran Park over 1m6f last month and one for the shortlist.

Form: 1-3

Thermistocles¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 12-3| J: E Walsh| T: J P O'Brien

11/2

Improving young stayer who won a 3m handicap hurdle at Clonmel in November. No surprise to witness a big run here.

Form:

Beeper's Ruby^t²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 12-1| J: Darren Dunne| T: D A McLoughlin

25/1

Fair 95-rated hurdler, winner of a Fairyhouse contest in February over 2m4f. One of the more likely types and a bold show looks likely on Flat debut.

Form:

Archibald Thorburn³⁷¹

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Karen Moore| T: A A Howard| OR: 33| CD

20/1

Well beaten at Gowran Park over 1m when last seen in June 2017 and absent since. Stepping up markedly in trip and others make more appeal.

Form: 56878/1-

Art World^t¹⁹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Sarah O'Sullivan| T: D Duggan| OR: 38

40/1

Winner of two of his 13 Flat starts on turf but without a victory since September 2015 and requires a chunk of improvement to play a role here.

Form: 0/06068-

Banjo¹²

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: C Eyre| T: D Cullen

20/1

Remains an 11-race maiden over hurdles but had been running well in defeat in a number of starts last summer. Beaten 21L on return to action last month at Fairyhouse and unlikely to be in the mix.

Form:

Big Ego^t⁸⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: G P Griffin| T: K Thornton| OR: 43

33/1

One from 15 Flats starts on turf. Pulled up on stable debut in February and will have plenty to prove here.

Form: 00/4470-

Castlelyons²²

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Maurice McCarthy| T: R Stephens| OR: 86

6/1

One win from five Flat starts on turf and winner of two of his 11 starts on the AW. Interesting Welsh raider.

Form: 838-245

Chateau Conti²

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Diana Hogan Murphy| T: J P O'Brien

18/1

Achieved a high-enough rating when trained by Willie Mullins for what he managed. Pulled up here on Tuesday and looks up against it.

Form: 787

House Limit^t²⁹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Caroline Moody| T: J Larkin| OR: 34

33/1

Two from 31 starts on the Flat. Not seen since tailing off in a Limerick handicap chase last July. Hard to fancy.

Form: 0895/U0-

Lean And Keen¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: N Byrne| T: S Byrne| OR: 55

8/1

Solid three from 22 Flat starts on turf, hitting the frame on a further four occasions. One for the shortlist.

Form: 0078/9-4

Mad Jack Mytton⁷³

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: Stephen O'Connor| T: S Doyle

10/1

Has some good efforts to his name from last Autumn for Jonjo O'Neill but efforts more lately seem to suggest he's rather gone off the boil. Makes stable debut.

Form:

Major Fawcett²¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Kitty Fitzpatrick| T: T M Walsh

16/1

Nothing of note for the 98-rated handicap hurdler and well held in a Ballinrobe bumper 12 months ago. Hard to fancy but local yard may have other ideas.

Form:

Manomine⁵⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: K A Kelly| T: R K Watson| OR: 46

33/1

86-rated handicap hurdler, winner of four of his 30 Flat starts on turf, hitting the frame on a further three occasions. Could be running on at the end.

Form: 8070-36

Messerati Kid^t¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 12-0| J: Ian Walsh| T: P W Flynn| OR: 48

33/1

Has plenty to find in this contest on the back of a couple of dismal hurdle and Flat efforts on turf to date.

Form: 4/500-09

Novel Character³⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 12-0| J: Chris Byrne| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 43

33/1

Failed to produce anything in two starts for trainer Johnny Murtagh last spring and has been well beaten in five starts over hurdles and on the Flat for current connections. Unlikely to play a role in the finish.

Form: 980-5

Shakespear'sgalley²⁰¹

Age: 4| Weight: 12-0| J: Richard Lombard| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 62

10/1

Three-race maiden could be of interest here based on a fourth of 15 beaten 3¾L in a Listowel 1m4f maiden in September. Yard five from 64 with their Flat runners in the last month.

Form: 0/840-

Skeaping^t⁸⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr P Lawlor| T: G Elliott| OR: 73

25/1

Useful 109-rated handicap hurdler but is only one from 15 Flat starts on turf. May find one or two stronger in the finish.

Form: 961005/

Tahan¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 12-0| J: Ganna German| T: S Lavery| OR: 40

33/1

Nine-race maiden with a basement rating, last seen finishing 13th of 14 beaten 29L at Clonmel last month. Easily passed over.

Form: 87068-0

Trendsetter¹²

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Geraldine Dempsey| T: B Cawley| OR: 59

28/1

Finished ninth of 15 in the November handicap in 2016 off a mark of 89 for trainer Micky Hammond. Has failed to hit the frame in 11 starts for current connections.

Form: 08/7500-

U S Navy Seal⁹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: L P Ryan| T: J R Finn| OR: 40

33/1

Well beaten and never a factor in his two most recent starts on the AW at Dundalk including an 28L defeat when last seen in January. Looks up against it.

Form: 80/000-0

Whydah⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Miss I Wirgman-neal| T: Mrs J Harrington

25/1

Seven-race maiden over hurdles including heavy defeats at Limerick in March and last month at Sligo beaten over 100L. Others look more convincing.

Form:

Extrasensory²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-12| J: M Kavanagh| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 68

20/1

Winner of a Cork 1m½f maiden in March 2018 but that remains her sole win on the Flat in nine starts. Place claims third rated runner in the contest.

Form: 08040-0

Poormans Hill¹⁴⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 12-9| J: Tom Malone| T: G Elliott| C

10/1

First Reserve: Three from 11 over hurdles and rated 128 over the larger obstacles. Could be of interest if making the line-up.

Form:

Non-Runners

Geological¹⁴

Weight: 12-6| Age: 7

T: D English J: Tom Malone

American Image²¹

Weight: 12-0| Age: 11

T: S Millar J: Reserve 2

Analyse That⁴⁴

Weight: 12-6| Age: 13

T: S Aherne J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Flat To The Max (3/1), Thermistocles (11/2), Castlelyons (6/1), Lean And Keen (8/1), Mad Jack Mytton (10/1), Shakespear'sgalley (10/1), Poormans Hill (10/1), Major Fawcett (16/1), Geological (16/1), Chateau Conti (18/1), Banjo (20/1), Archibald Thorburn (20/1), Callthebarman (20/1), Extrasensory (20/1), Skeaping (25/1), Beeper's Ruby (25/1), Whydah (25/1), Trendsetter (28/1), Manomine (33/1), Tahan (33/1), Novel Character (33/1), Big Ego (33/1), Messerati Kid (33/1), U S Navy Seal (33/1), House Limit (33/1), Analyse That (33/1), Art World (40/1), American Image (50/1)

CHARITY RACE: Possibly best to side with those who are proven and sit at the top of the ratings in this 'goodwill' end to the Punchestown festival. FLAT TO THE MAX for trainer Gordon Elliott ran well in defeat at Gowran Park last month and can step up here to get the better of tough and gallant, Geological, the Jessica Harrington-trained Extrasensory and the unexposed Shakepear'sgalley.