13:45 Punchestown

Tuesday 18 February 2020

All13:4514:1514:4515:2015:5016:2016:2516:5016:55

P.P. Hogan Memorial Cross Country Chase

Off time: 13:45 | Winning time: 7m 33.50s

Josies Orders⁴⁵

Age: 12| Weight: 12-0| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: E Bolger| OR: 125| CD

10/1

Veteran Cross-Country specialist. Always in rear when tailed off when last seen at Cork in January; won this contest last year but recent form concerning.

Form: 3225P8

Yanworth^p⁶⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Mark Walsh| T: E Bolger| OR: 148| C| D

9/10

Former high-class hurdler (proved unconvincing over conventional fences) who made a successful start to his cross-country career here in November; fell next time out at Cheltenham; needs to bounce back.

Form: 6/P0-P1F

Ard Na Carraig^p,t³⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: B Browne⁽⁵⁾| T: O McKiernan| OR: 112

40/1

Has ability over fences evidenced by a useful performance at Thurles in November; slightly disappointing at Fairyhouse and here on latest starts and has a point to prove at present.

Form: 37F207

Ballyboker Bridge^p⁶⁷

Age: 13| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr B O Walsh⁽⁷⁾| T: P Maher| OR: 139| C

5/1

Veteran who is no stranger to these sort of events having landed the La Touche Cup at Punchestown in May (4m2f); disappointing last time out at Cheltenham but tends to run well at this track and hard to discount.

Form: 3/3U-13P

Doolough Lad⁵⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr L P Gilligan⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Gilligan| OR: 88

100/1

Entitled to need his latest run when returning from over a year off, finishing last of five over hurdles in December; inconsistent sort and best form is on quicker ground than this.

Form: 3/0F16-5

Neverushacon^p,t³⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: P D Kennedy| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 135

4/1

Fairly consistent and reliable chaser; yet to win over this trip but ran well over a similar trip at this track in November; a repeat of that should see him go close.

Form: 6-48253

Ballinasilla³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: J J Slevin| T: D P Murphy

50/1

Dual point-to-point winner who has done all his racing under rules at this track; has never looked like winning a race but is gaining plenty of experience and not easy to totally rule out.

Form: 433374

Change Your Story²⁸⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Sean O'Keeffe⁽⁵⁾| T: P Maher| C

100/1

Won a point-to-point at here last year but has struggled slightly under rules since; has scope for improvement and not disgraced last time at Downpatrick but an unlikely winner on all known form.

Form: 5/P10-45

Festival Opera^t³⁴⁵

Age: 12| Weight: 11-4| J: L P Dempsey| T: J P Dempsey| OR: 92

33/1

Was showing some fair form in 2018 but has failed to complete on his last two appearances at Limerick and in this contest last year; difficult to see him being good enough after such a long absence.

Form: U3/5PP1-

Hurricane Darwin^t⁶⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-4| J: Kevin Sexton| T: P Maher| OR: 130

16/1

Fourth in this contest in 2018 and runner-up last year; has been tuned up for this contest with recent runs at Cheltenham and here; another bold bid expected and a leading contender.

Form: F2-FF49

Major Destination⁴¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: D J McInerney| T: N Meade| OR: 123

16/1

Placed in five of his 10 starts this season at up to 3m5f so stamina very much his strong suit; has run well at this track in the past and should give a good account of himself.

Form: 320726-

Mr Boss Man⁴⁷⁸

Age: 12| Weight: 11-4| J: C J Orr⁽⁵⁾| T: N Slevin| OR: 119| C| D

40/1

Won his latest two starts in point-to-points but hasn't won under Rules since 2017. Not without an each-way squeak if he's at his very best but likely to find a few of these too classy.

Form: 964511-

Sizing Solution^t²⁴

Age: 12| Weight: 11-4| J: M A Enright| T: J T R Dreaper| OR: 109

66/1

Returned in the spring of 2019 after a lengthy lay off with a useful performance at Wexford; failed to follow that up but has been showing enough form in recent point-to-points to suggest he could run well.

Form: 259622

Vital Island^t³⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Mr M J Scallan⁽⁷⁾| T: R P O'Keeffe| OR: 110

50/1

Got his head back in front in a point-to-point in November and while pulled up last month, he's run some of his better races at this track; not one to rule out.

Form: F2671P

Forecasts

Yanworth (9/10), Neverushacon (4/1), Ballyboker Bridge (5/1), Josies Orders (10/1), Hurricane Darwin (16/1), Major Destination (16/1), Festival Opera (33/1), Ard Na Carraig (40/1), Mr Boss Man (40/1), Vital Island (50/1), Ballinasilla (50/1), Sizing Solution (66/1), Doolough Lad (100/1), Change Your Story (100/1)

HURRICANE DARWIN would be a worthy winner of this race given his fourth and second placed finishes in recent years and with his experience in this specialist type of contest, he is taken to record his first win over fences since 2017. Josies Orders is another cross country specialist and the 12-year-old landed this contest last year. His chances would have been better if recent form had been more solid. Neverushacon rarely runs a bad race and considering he has some fair form on this track, he is one for the shortlist.