16:15 Punchestown

Wednesday 27 April 2022

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

Connolly's RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Hurdle Series Final

Off time: 16:19 | Winning time: 5m 5.00s

I A Connect⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: A P Heskin| T: G Elliott| OR: 131| C| D

11/1

Useful hurdler. Three wins from 5 runs last season. Sixteenth of 23 in handicap hurdle at Cheltenham (20.2f, good to soft, 28/1) 40 days ago, unable to sustain effort. Well worth another chance.

Form: 3-11210

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Glengouly⁵¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| D

7/2

Useful hurdler. 5/2, career best when winning 6-runner novice hurdle at Leopardstown (16f, good to soft) 51 days ago by ¾ length from Sam's Choice, driven out. Back up in trip. Open to further improvement.

Form: 63-4U11

Freedom To Dream⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Kevin Sexton| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 133| C

7/4

Useful hurdler. Course winner. Very good fourth of 23 in handicap hurdle (20/1) at Cheltenham (20.2f, good to soft) 40 days ago, needing stiffer test. Has to be taken seriously.

Form: 32/1244

Peaceful Sunday²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: D A Jacob| T: S R B Crawford| OR: 123

50/1

Fair hurdler. Winner in hurdle at Fairyhouse in February. Fell in novice hurdle (22/1) at Ayr (20.4f, good to soft) 26 days ago. Easy to look elsewhere.

Form: 39241F

The Road To Fame^t³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Donagh Meyler| T: E Doyle

33/1

Fairly useful hurdler. Didn't need to be at best when winning 13-runner novice hurdle at Limerick (19f, good to soft, 5/4) 31 days ago, just holding on.

Form: 42/7531

Winding River^t³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: B Browne| T: O McKiernan| OR: 102

33/1

Fair hurdler. Tongue strap on for 1st time, career best when winning 8-runner novice hurdle (9/1) at Downpatrick (18.8f, good) 38 days ago, better placed than most. Plenty to find on form.

Form: 090731

Sam's Choice⁵¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott

3/1

Fairly useful hurdler. Winner in bumper at Clonmel in September. Good ¾-length second of 6 to Glengouly in novice hurdle at Leopardstown (16f, good to soft, 7/2) 51 days ago. Back up in trip, which will suit.

Form: 4-14222

Ambitious Fellow¹⁶⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Sam Ewing| T: Peter Fahey

40/1

Lightly-raced winner under NH rules. One win from 3 runs last season. Fourth of 9 in novice hurdle (7/2) at Clonmel (16.4f, heavy) on hurdles bow 167 days ago. Up in trip. Should improve.

Form: 8-314

Vinnie Is Busy³⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Phillip Enright| T: C Byrnes| BF

25/1

Lightly-raced winner under NH rules. Set to go close when falling in novice hurdle at Downpatrick (18.8f, good) 38 days ago won by Winding River. Should have more to offer.

Form: 143/4F

Camino Rock²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Ricky Doyle| T: M F Morris

50/1

Fifth of 13 in bumper (8/1) at Naas (16.2f, good to soft) on bumper debut 27 days ago. Switches from bumpers to hurdles. Up in trip. Open to progress.

Form: 35

John Cannon¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Mike O'Connor⁽⁵⁾| T: J G Murphy| OR: 119

18/1

Fairly useful hurdler. 25/1, creditable ninth of 17 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, good to soft) 11 days ago. Up in trip.

Form: 422249

Rebel Ivy⁴⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Shane O'Callaghan⁽⁷⁾| T: J Motherway| OR: 116| D

14/1

Fairly useful hurdler. Winner in hurdle at Limerick in December. 6/1, fell in Shannon Spray Mares Novices' Hurdle at Limerick (22f, heavy) 45 days ago (won by Kilbarry Chloe).

Form: 5316DF

Non-Runners

Choice Of Words⁴¹

Weight: 11-3| Age: 7

T: M Brassil J: Darragh O'Keeffe

Sekifi¹

Weight: 10-7| Age: 4

T: M J Smith J: J B Kane

Forecasts

Freedom To Dream (7/4), Sam's Choice (3/1), Glengouly (7/2), Choice Of Words (7/1), I A Connect (11/1), Rebel Ivy (14/1), John Cannon (18/1), Vinnie Is Busy (25/1), The Road To Fame (33/1), Winding River (33/1), Ambitious Fellow (40/1), Camino Rock (50/1), Peaceful Sunday (50/1), Sekifi (66/1)

FREEDOM TO DREAM caught the eye when fourth in the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham last month and assuming this is a good test at the trip, he looks the way to go. Glengouly has a bigger effort in him for his top yard and is feared, while I A Connect is better than he could show last time.