15:40 Punchestown

Wednesday 27 April 2022

All15:4016:1516:4517:2017:5518:3019:0519:45

Adare Manor Opportunity Series Final Handicap Hurdle (95-123)

Off time: 15:48 | Winning time: 5m 3.8s

Conron⁴⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Shane Fenelon⁽⁴⁾| T: N C Kelly| OR: 123| CD

50/1

C&D winner. 125/1, well held on first outing since leaving Mrs J. Harrington after 18 months off in handicap hurdle at Naas (19f, heavy) 45 days ago.

Form: 819/UP-8

Aarons Day^p1,t¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: P J O'Hanlon⁽⁴⁾| T: O McKiernan| OR: 121| D

12/1

Quirky sort. 7/1, bit below form fifth of 12 in handicap hurdle at Ballinrobe (17.6f, good to soft) 19 days ago. Cheekpieces on 1st time and mark has eased a little more at least.

Form: 67-4995

Midnight It Is³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Kieren Buckley⁽²⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 121

9/1

15/8, career best when winning 12-runner maiden hurdle at Limerick (19f, good to soft) 31 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Improving all the time recently.

Form: U38871

Millen To One⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Cian Cullinan⁽⁴⁾| T: F J Flood| OR: 121| D

150/1

One win from 24 NH runs. Fourteenth of 17 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (21.5f, good to soft, 22/1) 9 days ago.

Form: 323PP0

Dads Lad¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Kieran Callaghan⁽⁴⁾| T: W P Mullins| OR: 120| D

33/1

Latest win in hurdle at Cork in November. Probably needed the run after 5 months off when fifteenth of 17 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, good to soft, 14/1) 11 days ago. Back up in trip.

Form: 621100

Limerick Lace⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: J P O'Sullivan⁽²⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 120| C

9/1

Course winner. 9/2, weakening when fell last in Shannon Spray Mares Novices' Hurdle at Limerick (22f, heavy) 45 days ago won by Kilbarry Chloe, finding little. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 10-621F

Molly Wedger⁴⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Richard Condon⁽⁴⁾| T: Dermot P O'Brien| OR: 120

66/1

Below form after 6 months off when 26 lengths sixth of 12 to Kilbarry Chloe in Shannon Spray Mares Novices' Hurdle at Limerick (22f, heavy, 66/1) 45 days ago, not ideally placed. Must improve.

Form: 112286

Brazos^p²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: E Walsh| T: J J Murphy| OR: 119| D

40/1

Thrice-raced winner over hurdles. 11/1, took a step back in the right direction when third of 9 in handicap at Listowel (16.2f, good to soft). Switches from Flat to hurdles. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 413-32P

Guiri^p⁴⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: C G O'Dwyer⁽⁴⁾| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 119| C

8/1

Course winner. Looked rusty after 5 months off when sixth of 11 in handicap hurdle (14/1) at Naas (19f, heavy) 45 days ago.

Form: 541-696

Life In The Park¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Mike O'Connor⁽²⁾| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 119| D

9/2

4/6, easily won 15-runner maiden hurdle at Tramore (20.3f, good to soft) 17 days ago, galloping his rivals into submission. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Major claims.

Form: F-361

Priory Park^b¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Aidan Kelly⁽⁴⁾| T: E J O'Grady| OR: 119| D

50/1

Two wins from 6 runs last season. 33/1 and blinkered for 1st time, below form fifth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Cork (19f, heavy) 10 days ago. Yet to prove himself in very testing conditions but may feature should the ground be in his favour.

Form: 511065

Whosgotyanow³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Cian Quirke⁽⁴⁾| T: A Slattery| OR: 119| D

22/1

Two wins from 4 runs last season. 40/1, fourth of 6 in minor event hurdle at Cork (16f, good to soft) 34 days ago. Back up in trip. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 40-1164

First Touch¹⁶⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-9| J: D P Holden⁽⁴⁾| T: D Commins| OR: 118| BF

125/1

Latest win in hurdle at Clonmel in October. Run of good form halted when thirteenth of 20 in handicap hurdle at this course (23.9f, good to soft, 5/1) back in November. Has work to do.

Form: 641210

Francois²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: A McCurtin| T: Mary Ellen Doyle| OR: 118

16/1

Creditable second of 15 in handicap hurdle at Limerick (21f, good to soft, 11/2) 20 days ago. Sure to go well again.

Form: 1/9922

Humble Glory¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: J R Wildman⁽⁴⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 118| BF| C

9/1

Latest win in hurdle at Thurles in November. Step back in the right direction after 3 months off when fourth of 11 in handicap hurdle at Ballinrobe (22.1f, good to soft, 4/1) 19 days ago. Merits consideration.

Form: 241264

Stumptown⁸⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: J B Kane⁽²⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 117

33/1

Winner in hurdle at Limerick in October. Fourth of 6 in novice hurdle (5/2) at this course (20.3f, soft) 86 days ago. Still early days and he may well feature.

Form: 2-104

Krabat^t1⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Gary Noonan⁽⁴⁾| T: M J McDonagh| OR: 112| D

18/1

Winner in chase at Clonmel in February. Failed to stay when seventh of 14 in handicap chase (13/2) at Fairyhouse (24.7f, good to soft) 9 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Tongue strap on 1st time.

Form: 322167

Lucky Tenner^h²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Shane O'Callaghan⁽⁴⁾| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 112

33/1

Twelve runs since last win in 2020. Below form fifth of 12 in maiden hurdle at Wexford (20.2f, good to soft, 7/1) 26 days ago. Each-way claims.

Form: 620235

Outback Flyer^h²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: T N Brett⁽⁴⁾| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 111| D

20/1

7/2, belatedly confirmed previous promise when winning 13-runner novice hurdle at Wexford (20.2f, good to soft) 26 days ago, pushed out. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 4S0341

Skippin Court¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: N J Ryan⁽⁴⁾| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 111

50/1

Looked rusty after 5 months off when thirteenth of 24 in handicap hurdle (40/1) at Fairyhouse (20f, soft) 10 days ago. Big step forward required.

Form: 432100

Rock Road^p³⁰⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-0| J: J B Foley| T: W P Mullins| OR: 109| BF| D

16/1

Shaped as if just needing the run when fifth of 13 in handicap hurdle at Tipperary (16.2f, good to soft, 3/1), unable to sustain effort. Clearly had his problems (off a further 10 months) but interesting connections are persevering. Cheekpieces back on.

Form: D538/1-5

Thanksforthehelp^t1⁸³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Shane Fitzgerald| T: D Pipe| OR: 109

7/2

Produced another very encouraging effort when second of 11 in novice hurdle at Wincanton (15.2f, good, 11/4) 83 days ago, running on. Will get a strong pace to aim at and with scope for plenty of improvement heading into handicaps (tongue tied here), he's a major player.

Form: 4322

Vera Verto^t³¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: J G Gilligan⁽⁴⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 118| BF

25/1

Won Navan maiden hurdle on penultimate start. 5/2, ninth of 12 in juvenile hurdle at Ascot (15.7f, good) 31 days ago. Up in trip. Something to find on form.

Form: 23519

Coolcullen⁵³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-6| J: Ben Kennedy⁽⁴⁾| T: B W Duke| OR: 111

50/1

Thrice-raced maiden. 16/1, 20½ lengths seventh of 19 to Vera Verto in juvenile hurdle at Navan (16f, soft) 53 days ago. Up in trip. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Difficult ask. RESERVE.

Form: 467

Non-Runners

Edison Kent¹¹

Weight: 11-10| Age: 6

T: Mrs J Harrington J: Philip Donovan

Mr Moondance²³⁶

Weight: 11-1| Age: 11

T: M M McNiff J: A M King

Top Line Tommy¹⁰

Weight: 11-0| Age: 6

T: E J O'Grady J: Reserve 2

The Gradual Slope⁹

Weight: 10-13| Age: 5

T: S O O'Brien J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Thanksforthehelp (7/2), Life In The Park (9/2), Guiri (8/1), Limerick Lace (9/1), Humble Glory (9/1), Midnight It Is (9/1), Aarons Day (12/1), Rock Road (16/1), Francois (16/1), Krabat (18/1), Outback Flyer (20/1), Whosgotyanow (22/1), The Gradual Slope (25/1), Vera Verto (25/1), Edison Kent (25/1), Stumptown (33/1), Dads Lad (33/1), Lucky Tenner (33/1), Mr Moondance (33/1), Brazos (40/1), Skippin Court (50/1), Top Line Tommy (50/1), Conron (50/1), Coolcullen (50/1), Priory Park (50/1), Molly Wedger (66/1), First Touch (125/1), Millen To One (150/1)

An ultra-competitive opener which can go the way of LIFE IN THE PARK. Henry de Bromhead's charge galloped his rivals into submission at Tramore earlier this month, and provided this doesn't come too early in his development, an opening mark of 119 may underestimate him. English-raider Thanksforthehelp has scope for plenty of improvement heading into handicaps so he's fancied to be in the mix, with Francois and Midnight It Is also expected to go well.