15:10 Punchestown

Saturday 16 November 2019

All12:1512:5013:2514:0014:3515:1015:4016:00

Punchestown For Christmas Present Ideas Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:10 | Winning time: 6m 25.2s

Notice To Close¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Brian Hayes| T: S Neville| OR: 110| D

7/1

Former point-to-point scorer improved in each of his three races under Rules culminating in a Clonmel maiden win over 2m last time out. Interesting here going up fully 1m in trip for handicap debut and highly respected.

Form: FP15-21

Holy Motivation^p¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 106| D

12/1

Two wins at Perth in September but this a tougher contest and recent defeats on home soil suggest that the handicapper now has the upper hand.

Form: 221185

Broomfield's Oscar⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: L P Dempsey| T: J P Dempsey| OR: 104

16/1

Improving sort, running with credit in a couple of maiden hurdles in April and on return to action in September. 10/1 for handicap debut where she unseated early when upped to 2m6f. Up again in trip here and not ruled out.

Form: 62-4U

Big Tree²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Danny Mullins| T: T Mullins| OR: 102

10/1

10-race maiden a highly respectable third when upped to this trip at Cork last time out. Still unexposed over 3m and certainly among the more likely sorts inn this wide-open race.

Form: 284063

Se Mo Laoch^p¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Mr E Mahon⁽⁷⁾| T: B McMahon| OR: 102| C

11/2

Far better chaser than hurdler though did run a respectable race back over timber latest when fourth of 20 at Down Royal off this 21lb lower hurdles mark. Strip fitter now and fact he's never won first time out is noted.

Form: 2135-64

Treacysenniscorthy⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: K J Brouder⁽⁵⁾| T: Robert Widger| OR: 102| BF

4/1

Surprised punters when going in a 50/1 in a chase at Listowel in September. Not badly handicapped over hurdles either as his third at Tipperary last time out showed; one to consider.

Form: 653-513

Walking On Glass²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Aidan Kelly⁽⁷⁾| T: P Roche| OR: 106

11/2

In decent form this summer over hurdles and on the Flat although he was well held off this mark in only previous try at 3m in September so does still have something to prove.

Form: 00-3126

Circling Moon^p,t²²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: B Browne⁽⁵⁾| T: O McKiernan| OR: 98

33/1

Unplaced in all nine prior hurdle starts and after another lacklustre effort on the Flat at Dundalk latest he looks one best avoided.

Form: F90090

Castle Canny¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: Sean O'Keeffe⁽⁵⁾| T: B R Hamilton| OR: 95

33/1

Mixed messages in five starts over hurdles so far. Only got as far as the first on handicap debut at Down Royal earlier this month. Makes little appeal based on what the daughter of Court Cave has shown so far

Form: 9237F

Shantou Bay⁶⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: Barry J Fitzgerald| OR: 95

9/1

Maiden after 10 starts finished a decent fifth over an extended 2m at Bellewstown (good) on her penultimate start. Fair seventh subsequently and is worth a check in the market on handicap debut going up in trip.

Form: 659-557

Sir Ector^h¹⁵

Age: 12| Weight: 10-10| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: J J Lambe| OR: 95| D

20/1

Veteran an eight-time winner although 2-37 over hurdles. Third of 20 in a similar race at Down Royal latest shows he still has the appetite but be a surprise should he make the frame again.

Form: 04-5P03

Ballea Fox^t²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: D J McInerney| T: S Spillane| OR: 93| D

20/1

Failed to kick on since winning a 3m½f Limerick hurdle on heavy ground back in March although he is entitled to come on for his Cork 10th of 14 on reappearance last month.

Form: 0U1U3/0

Jaunty Velocity^t²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: C P McNamara⁽⁷⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 91

20/1

Maiden was beaten 29L when sixth of 14 on stable debut at Wexford last month. That her first race since May so reasons to think she can improve and sneaks onto the shortlist here.

Form: 6965-P6

Ask Mary²⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Miss E A Lalor⁽⁵⁾| T: R H Lalor| OR: 90| D

16/1

Multiple winning point-to-pointer last season but struggled since going under Rules although there were signs of life as she finished fourth on handicap bow at Limerick back in March. Market can guide here first time out.

Form: 1/P5654-

The Trigger³⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 10-5| J: M Hamill⁽³⁾| T: R McNally| OR: 90| D

40/1

Three-time winner rarely goes well fresh so his last of nine at Downpatrick on return can be taken with a pinch of salt. That said he didn't appear well handicapped when last seen in 2018.

Form: 0927F-9

Howaya Aoife²⁵⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-4| J: Ricky Doyle⁽³⁾| T: G Keane| OR: 89| D

16/1

Five-race maiden and generally well held in a number of starts since the beginning of the year. Needs to take a big step forward on return to action.

Form: 0/99070-

Imperial Reprise⁶⁰¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: Sean Flanagan| T: C A McBratney| OR: 87

40/1

Dismal efforts in three career maiden hurdle starts. Last seen tailed off at Downpatrick in March 2018 and hard to recommend on return to action.

Form: 977/

Need For Gold²⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: C D Timmons⁽³⁾| T: E Cawley| OR: 87

50/1

Five-race maiden over hurdles sent off at big prices before running accordingly on each occasion. Unlikely to be playing a significant role on handicap debut.

Form: 0/800P-

Daisy's Hollow⁶⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-1| J: S A Shortall| T: Michael W O'Meara| OR: 86

50/1

Had not beaten many home in three dismal maiden hurdle efforts before more of the same in a couple of handicap starts at Tipperary in May and Listowel in September. Hasn't looked a winner in waiting.

Form: 000-00

Lee Valley Legacy²³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: C D Maxwell| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 85

33/1

Maiden has finished midfield at Thurles and Downpatrick in her first two handicap tries. Not really involved in either so still hard to be confident.

Form: 00-087

Elusive Exclusive^t1²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-12| J: A W Short⁽³⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 83

25/1

Yet to hit the frame in six starts over hurdles when never a factor on any occasion. Recent form unlikely to be good enough in this contest.

Form: 500/800

Non-Runners

Ocean Voyage⁹

Weight: 11-12| Age: 4

T: G Elliott J: Keith Donoghue

Grey Habit²⁰

Weight: 9-10| Age: 8

T: P Meany J: Reserve 1

Ard Cregg²⁰

Weight: 9-10| Age: 9

T: V T O'Brien J: Reserve 2

Kilkarney Mai²³

Weight: 9-10| Age: 11

T: T Shanahan J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Treacysenniscorthy (4/1), Walking On Glass (11/2), Se Mo Laoch (11/2), Notice To Close (7/1), Shantou Bay (9/1), Big Tree (10/1), Ocean Voyage (10/1), Holy Motivation (12/1), Broomfield's Oscar (16/1), Ask Mary (16/1), Howaya Aoife (16/1), Grey Habit (16/1), Jaunty Velocity (20/1), Ballea Fox (20/1), Sir Ector (20/1), Elusive Exclusive (25/1), Kilkarney Mai (25/1), Castle Canny (33/1), Lee Valley Legacy (33/1), Circling Moon (33/1), Ard Cregg (33/1), The Trigger (40/1), Imperial Reprise (40/1), Daisy's Hollow (50/1), Need For Gold (50/1)

In such a wide-open contest finding a horse with reason for improvement is often the best course of action and NOTICE TO CLOSE who got off the mark at Clonmel looks a likely sort to do so now upped fully 1m in trip given he won three point-to-points over the trip. Narrowing down this field to any sort of a shortlist is hard but others with likable claims include Se Mo Laoch who is rated 21lb higher over fences and Big Tree who was third upped to 3m latest after often shaping like a stayer over shorter trips.