15:50 Punchestown

Saturday 30 April 2022

All14:3515:1015:5016:2517:0017:3018:0518:35

Coolmore Kew Gardens Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle (Grade 1)

Off time: 15:52 | Winning time: 4m 48.20s

Burning Victory^t1⁴⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 143| CD

10/1

Useful hurdler. Course winner. 6/1, 26½ lengths ninth of 12 to Marie's Rock in David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham (19.9f, good) 46 days ago. Tongue strap on 1st time. No more than an each-way shout.

Form: 7-70319

Dysart Diamond^t⁴³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Brian Hayes| T: W P Mullins| OR: 140| C

66/1

Useful hurdler. Course winner. Five wins from 18 NH runs. Twenty first of 26 in handicap hurdle (66/1) at Cheltenham (16.8f, good to soft) 43 days ago. Punching above his weight in this company.

Form: 121730

Epatante²³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Aidan Coleman| T: N J Henderson| OR: 154| D

4/6

Very smart hurdler. 2/1, didn't need to improve to win 7-runner Aintree Hurdle at Aintree (20f, good to soft) 23 days ago by 14 lengths from Monmiral, pushed out. Likely she'll prove hard to beat.

Form: 33-1121

Marie's Rock^t⁴⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 147| D

10/1

Smart hurdler. Career best when winning 12-runner David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle (18/1) at Cheltenham (19.9f, good) 46 days ago by 1¾ lengths from Queens Brook, well on top finish. Should make her presence felt.

Form: 371P11

Mrs Milner^t⁴⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: B J Cooper| T: P Nolan| OR: 142

16/1

Smart hurdler. 14/1, creditable 3½ lengths third of 12 to Marie's Rock in David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham (19.9f, good) 46 days ago, finishing with running left. Live each-way contender.

Form: 4F1-143

Politesse^t²²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: C J Orr| T: L Fowler| OR: 126| CD

150/1

Fairly useful chaser. Fairly useful winner at 20f in chases. 20/1, below form thirteenth of 21 in handicap hurdle at Aintree (20f, good) 22 days ago. Looks up against it.

Form: 554-1U0

Shewearsitwell¹²²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: W P Mullins| BF

16/1

Lightly-raced winner under Rules. Fell early on in the Irish EBF Mares' Hurdle at Leopardstown (20f, good to soft, 9/4) 122 days ago. Needs to raise her game.

Form: 111-F

Stormy Ireland⁴⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 147| BF| CD

7/1

Useful hurdler. Two wins from 4 runs last season. 7/2, creditable 4¾ lengths fourth of 12 to Marie's Rock in David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham (19.9f, good) 46 days ago. Largely reliable and should give it a good shot.

Form: 211-614

Telmesomethinggirl⁴⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 142| D

17/2

Smart hurdler. Brought down 2 out in David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle (4/1) at Cheltenham (19.9f, good) 46 days ago, travelling well at the time of her departure. In the mix.

Form: 315-53B

Forecasts

Epatante (4/6), Stormy Ireland (7/1), Telmesomethinggirl (17/2), Marie's Rock (10/1), Burning Victory (10/1), Shewearsitwell (16/1), Mrs Milner (16/1), Dysart Diamond (66/1), Politesse (150/1)

All roads lead to EPATANTE, who found only the brilliant Honeysuckle too good in the Champion Hurdle last month and she subsequently scored in good style on her first attempt at this trip at Aintree. She will take the world of beating against her own sex here. Telmesomethinggirl was starting to get interested when brought down two-out in the David Nicholson and she is second choice ahead of the eventual winner of that race, Epatante's stablemate's Marie Rock, and the third home, Mrs Milner.