12:30 Punchestown

Sunday 12 January 2020

All12:3013:0513:3514:1014:4015:1515:45

Sporting Life Beginners Chase

Off time: 12:30 | Winning time: 6m 10.8s

Cherokee Bill^b¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade| OR: 112

11/4

Yet to prevail in 15 appearances. He has featured nine times over fences, including when unseating his rider last time at Down Royal; has each-way claims given the experience he has in chasing.

Form: 8-7245U

Chosen Hour¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean O'Keeffe⁽⁵⁾| T: S Aherne

11/2

Well beaten on his first two chase starts and unseated rider on his latest effort at Tramore does not suggest he is ready to win over fences just yet.

Form: 1U4-60U

Clonguile Way^p¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: C P McNamara⁽⁵⁾| T: W J O'Doherty

20/1

Had limited success in point-to-points earlier in his career but failed to translate that ability to hurdling; chasing may suit better but hardly in the greatest of form.

Form: 20067P

I'mstillyourbaby¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: D E Mullins| T: P A Fahy| BF

6/1

Runner-up in a Tipperary bumper (2m4f, yielding) in October, and showed similar promise on his hurdles debut at Down Royal (2m6f) next time. Not as good since, but can't rule him out of the frame on chase debut.

Form: 724B05

Lough Gur⁵⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: E Bolger

12/1

Has had a very disappointing career so far, generally finishing in the bottom half of contests or falling; hard to make a case for.

Form: 00F-000

Major Fawcett^t⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Ricky Doyle⁽³⁾| T: T M Walsh

33/1

Maiden of 14 races under rules and positives few and far between recently. Tailed off at Punchestown (2m, yielding; 20-1) on New Year's Eve returning from a layoff and put in tame performance five days later at Naas.

Form: 607909

Iknowwhereiamnow¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Brian Hayes| T: J P Dempsey

11/4

Reasonable handicap hurdler who won at Gowran Park on her penultimate start; pulled up last time out at Leopardstown; can go well if taking to the larger obstacles.

Form: P-2F61P

Moyode Lady³³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Gavin Brouder⁽⁷⁾| T: J Nash| BF

6/1

Reasonably consistent hurdler and another who won on her penultimate start; very disappointing last time out at Tramore when sent off favourite; another who should go well if taking to fences.

Form: 567218

Forecasts

Cherokee Bill (11/4), Iknowwhereiamnow (11/4), Chosen Hour (11/2), I'mstillyourbaby (6/1), Moyode Lady (6/1), Lough Gur (12/1), Clonguile Way (20/1), Major Fawcett (33/1)

No real form of note from those who have encountered fences before so it may be an idea to look to those with the best hurdles form among the debutantes. IKNOWWHEREIAMNOW needs to put a poor run last time out behind her but she had previously won well at Gowran Park. A clear round and she may have the beating of her rivals. Moyode Lady is another with fair hurdles form and another who disappointed last time out. If taking to fences she may give the selection most to do. Cherokee Bill is a very experienced chaser now and because of that fact, he holds realistic each-way claims. .