13:30 Punchestown

Sunday 14 February 2021

All13:3014:0014:3015:0015:3016:0016:3017:00

P.P. Hogan Memorial Cross Country Chase

Off time: 13:33 | Winning time: 7m 47.90s

Ballyboker Bridge^p⁸²

Age: 14| Weight: 11-13| J: Mr J J Codd| T: P Maher| OR: 139| C

4/1

Useful chaser. Course winner. 7/2, creditable second of 17 in minor event chase at this course (24f, heavy) 82 days ago. Runner-up in this a year ago.

Form: U/13P2-2

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Josies Orders^b⁶³

Age: 13| Weight: 11-13| J: Miss P Elvin⁽⁷⁾| T: E Bolger| OR: 140| CD

18/1

Useful chaser. C&D winner. Respectable fourth of 17 in minor event chase at this course (24f, heavy, 18/1) 82 days ago, going in snatches. Blinkers back on. Won this in 2019.

Form: P-63646

Space Cadet²⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-13| J: Ben Harvey⁽⁷⁾| T: G O'Loughlin| OR: 133

8/1

Useful chaser. Twelfth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (23f, heavy, 33/1) 29 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase.

Form: 4PF51-0

Artic Pearl^t⁸²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-6| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: M Brassil| OR: 110| C

33/1

Fair hurdler. Eleventh of 17 in minor event chase at this course (24f, heavy, 33/1) 82 days ago.

Form: P1/U44-0

Auvergnat^p⁸⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 11-6| J: Tom Kelly⁽⁷⁾| T: E Bolger| OR: 141| C

10/1

Fairly useful hurdler. Course winner (won this in 2018). 18/1, pulled up in hunter chase at Fairyhouse (23.5f, heavy) 96 days ago, tailing off 3 out.

Form: P/20-3P3

Black Scorpion¹²⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-6| J: B J Foley⁽⁵⁾| T: J F Gleeson| OR: 118

100/1

Eleven runs since last win in 2018. 50/1, last of 7 in handicap chase at this course (24.6f, soft) 124 days ago. Rejoined yard after leaving Eric McNamara.

Form: P-U0097

Blast Of Koeman^t⁴⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-6| J: Phillip Enright| T: P Maher| OR: 125

13/2

Unreliable sort. Twenty one runs since last win in 2017. Good third of 10 in handicap hurdle (22/1) at this course (19.6f, heavy) 45 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase. Up in trip.

Form: 2-P8953

Call It Magic^b⁸²

Age: 11| Weight: 11-6| J: Keith Donoghue| T: R O'Sullivan| OR: 121

28/1

Fairly useful hurdler. Point winner.Twelve runs since last win in 2017. 20/1, ninth of 17 in minor event chase at this course (24f, heavy) 82 days ago.

Form: 39P2P-9

Cut Pretender^t1⁷¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: Liam Quinlan⁽⁵⁾| T: D P Nagle

250/1

Half-brother to French 13f winner Varouchkine. Dam French winner around 13f. Wears tongue strap. Completed twice from 7 starts in points, won on penultimate outing, pulled up last time.

Form: P-PF1P

Down The Highway¹¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Mr T J Love⁽⁷⁾| T: Ciaran Murphy| OR: 120

66/1

Fair chaser. 15/2, tenth of 11 in handicap hurdle at Bangor (19.6f, good). Switches from hurdles to chase. Up in trip. Pulled up last 2 starts in points.

Form: P93-0PP

Festival Opera³⁴³

Age: 13| Weight: 11-6| J: J P O'Sullivan⁽⁷⁾| T: J P Dempsey| OR: 92

125/1

Remains a maiden after 16 NH runs. Twelfth of 14 in minor event chase at this C&D (heavy, 33/1). Multiple point winner, fourth last time (Mar 2020)

Form: 5PP1/04-

Major Destination²⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-6| J: D F O'Regan| T: N Meade| OR: 122

12/1

Unreliable individual. Fifteen runs since last win in 2017. Unseated rider in handicap chase (33/1) at this C&D (heavy) 28 days ago.

Form: 6/6-573U

Michael's Pick⁴⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: P D Kennedy| T: Ciaran Murphy

80/1

Modest chaser. Pulled up in hunter chase (25/1) at Limerick (22.6f, heavy) 46 days ago, mistake second. First run for yard after leaving Mrs D. A. Love.

Form: 04231P

Precious Bounty^t1⁹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Mr G A Spain⁽⁷⁾| T: S Curling| OR: 109

80/1

Fair hurdler. 7/2 and blinkered for 1st time, pulled up in handicap chase at Worcester (16.5f, heavy), pulled up soon after 4 out. Maiden pointer, unplaced last time (Nov 7).

Form: 54P-P25

Shady Operator⁴⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Mr D O'Connor| T: E Bolger| OR: 129| BF| CD

1/1

Useful chaser. C&D winner. Below form fifth of 15 in handicap chase (4/1) at Limerick (19.7f, heavy) 48 days ago. Up in trip.

Form: 0389-65

Singing Banjo^p1⁶³

Age: 11| Weight: 11-6| J: Mr B J Walsh⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Rothwell

125/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. 50/1, twelfth of 17 in minor event chase at this course (24f, soft). Dual-winning pointer, pulled up last time (Dec 13). Cheekpieces on.

Form: P4321P

Vital Island^t⁸⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: Mr T Power Roche⁽⁷⁾| T: R P O'Keeffe| OR: 110

50/1

Fair chaser. Creditable eighth of 14 in minor event chase at this C&D (heavy, 50/1). Multiple point winner, including last time (Nov 22)

Form: 671P8-1

Forecasts

Shady Operator (1/1), Ballyboker Bridge (4/1), Blast Of Koeman (13/2), Space Cadet (8/1), Auvergnat (10/1), Major Destination (12/1), Josies Orders (18/1), Call It Magic (28/1), Artic Pearl (33/1), Vital Island (50/1), Down The Highway (66/1), Michael's Pick (80/1), Precious Bounty (80/1), Black Scorpion (100/1), Singing Banjo (125/1), Festival Opera (125/1), Cut Pretender (250/1)

Following a couple of outings over insufficient trips, SHADY OPERATOR should be spot on for this and he could well be another useful cross-country recruit for the excellent Enda Bolger. Josies Orders won this in 2019 and represents the same connections as the selection, while Ballyboker Bridge is a regular in these events.