16:15 Punchestown

Friday 30 April 2021

All15:4016:1516:5017:2518:0018:3519:0519:35

EMS Copiers Novice Handicap Chase (Grade A)

Off time: 16:16 | Winning time: 5m 30.3s

Asterion Forlonge^t²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: B J Cooper| T: W P Mullins| OR: 152| BF| C

11/4

Good third of 9 to Janidil in Underwriting Exchange Gold Cup Novice Chase (7/4) at Fairyhouse (20f, good to soft) 26 days ago. Tongue strap back on. Bold showing is on the cards on handicap debut.

Form: 1FF433

Fils D'oudairies⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Donagh Meyler| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 142

28/1

16/1, running below form when fell in handicap chase at Cheltenham (20.6f, good to soft) 43 days ago. Needs to bounce back.

Form: 1-F125F

January Jets²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 139

18/1

28/1, below-par sixth of 9 to Janidil in Underwriting Exchange Gold Cup Novice Chase at Fairyhouse (20f, good to soft) 26 days ago. More needed on handicap bow.

Form: 152316

Rebel Gold^h,t⁴⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: P D Kennedy| T: P T Foley| OR: 139| C

50/1

Three wins from 8 runs last season. First run since leaving Thomas Foley when pulled up in handicap chase at Gowran (18f, heavy) 49 days ago. Has work to do.

Form: 13381P

Dostal Phil²²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-10| J: Simon Torrens⁽³⁾| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 138

5/1

Good third of 18 in handicap chase at Aintree (15.8f, good to soft) 22 days ago, faring best of those held up. Significantly up in trip. Still low mileage and enters calculations.

Form: 1P-1323

I'm A Game Changer^h,t²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-10| J: P J Carberry| T: A McNamara| OR: 138| D

100/1

Unreliable sort. Well-beaten seventh of 9 to Janidil in Underwriting Exchange Gold Cup Novice Chase at Fairyhouse (20f, good to soft, 80/1) 26 days ago. Has work to do on handicap chase debut.

Form: 435317

A Wave Of The Sea⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: J S McGarvey| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 137| C

22/1

Latest win in chase at Leopardstown in February. Only fifteenth of 21 in handicap chase (8/1) at Cheltenham (20.6f, good to soft) 43 days ago. More needed.

Form: 137510

Antey⁵⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: D E Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 136| C

14/1

7/4, creditable second of 14 in novice chase at Gowran (20f, heavy) 59 days ago. Much respected on handicap chase debut.

Form: FF-6U22

Fan De Blues^h⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: Brian Hayes| T: W P Mullins| OR: 136

7/1

8/1, creditable second of 14 in handicap chase at Gowran (18f, heavy) 49 days ago. Likely to be on the premises for top yard.

Form: 320792

Walk Away^t²⁰¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 136| BF

20/1

Fell heavily tenth in handicap chase at Limerick (24f, heavy, 10/3). Off 6 months. Stable in good form and sort to bounce back.

Form: 4/7253-F

School Boy Hours⁴⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: Mark Walsh| T: N Meade| OR: 135

6/1

Creditable third of 12 in handicap chase at Navan (24f, heavy, 11/2) 48 days ago. Bit more needed here though.

Form: 3-24243

Port Stanley^p²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-6| J: R M Power| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 134| BF

8/1

5/4, creditable second of 14 in novice chase at Cork (20f, good to soft) 26 days ago. Shortlisted.

Form: 332202

Duc D'Allier²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-3| J: J J Slevin| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 131

40/1

Lightly-raced winner. Pulled up in handicap chase at Fairyhouse (16.7f, good to soft, 12/1) 26 days ago. Up in trip but others more persuasive.

Form: 371/14P

Notice To Close^p1,t²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-3| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: S Neville| OR: 131| D

33/1

Three wins from 6 runs last season. 8/1, good third of 10 in handicap chase at Wexford (20f, good to soft) 21 days ago. Cheekpieces on 1st time. Not ruled out.

Form: 4111P3

Ificudiwud^p²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-3| J: Jordan Gainford⁽⁷⁾| T: N Meade| OR: 126

25/1

14/1 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, career best when winning 13-runner handicap chase at Fairyhouse (24.7f, good to soft) 27 days ago, sticking to task. Needs more hiked up 13 lb however.

Form: U-553P1

Non-Runners

Crossed My Mind²

Weight: 10-6| Age: 9

T: A L T Moore J: D F O'Regan

Forecasts

Asterion Forlonge (11/4), Dostal Phil (5/1), School Boy Hours (6/1), Fan De Blues (7/1), Port Stanley (8/1), Antey (14/1), Crossed My Mind (16/1), January Jets (18/1), Walk Away (20/1), A Wave Of The Sea (22/1), Ificudiwud (25/1), Fils D'oudairies (28/1), Notice To Close (33/1), Duc D'Allier (40/1), Rebel Gold (50/1), I'm A Game Changer (100/1)

Willie Mullins has captured this prize in four of the past five runnings and his ASTERION FORLONGE is fancied to add to his superb record now going into handicaps on the back of some excellent placed efforts. Dostal Phil is still on the up and looks the one to give him most to do, although Fan de Blues, a stable-companion of the selection, is another who can make his presence felt.