14:40 Punchestown

Sunday 15 January 2023

All12:1012:4013:1013:4014:1014:4015:1015:40

Sporting Life Beginners Chase

Off time: 14:40 | Winning time: 6m 35.90s

Cahirdown Boy^t²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: C P McNamara| T: E McNamara| OR: 101| D

11/1

Fair hurdler. Creditable second of 12 in handicap chase at Limerick (17.7f, heavy, 10/3) 20 days ago. Up in trip and can't be ruled out.

Form: 445F62

From The Ashes¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Philip Byrnes⁽⁵⁾| T: C Byrnes

11/4

Fair chaser. Cheekpieces on for 1st time, unseated rider 2nd in novice chase at this course (23.2f, heavy, 50/1) 15 days ago. Headgear is discarded and can bounce back.

Form: 43075U

Old Soul²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: Miss E Doyle| CD

7/1

Fair hurdler. 1 win from 3 runs this season. 22/1, career best when winning 18-runner handicap hurdle at this course (23.4f, soft) 27 days ago, kept up to work. Much respected on his chase debut.

Form: 843-5P1

Round The Buoy^p1,t³¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: R T Dunne| T: D P Dunne| C| D

66/1

Fair hurdler. 8/1, pulled up in handicap hurdle at Leopardstown (24f, good to soft), pulled up before last. Off 10 months and needs to hit the ground running on his chase debut. Cheekpieces on for 1st time.

Form: 07911P-

Salmanino²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Donagh Meyler| T: Miss E Doyle| C

6/4

Fairly useful chaser. Hampered before 2 out when good running-on second of 10 in novice chase at Down Royal (20f, soft, 13/2) 20 days ago. Holds leading claims with this return to further a plus too.

Form: 1P4-U22

Simply Shabra^p⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: D F O'Regan| T: A McCann

10/1

Fair hurdler. Cheekpieces on for 1st time, creditable third of 11 in handicap hurdle (6/1) at Naas (18.8f, heavy) 7 days ago. Makes chase debut and needs considering now stepping back up in trip.

Form: 272-P03

Speed Gang²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G P Cromwell| BF

6/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. 7/2, creditable fourth of 16 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (22.5f, heavy) 25 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase and not dismissed.

Form: 2490-F4

Coolcullen⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Kieren Buckley⁽⁵⁾| T: B W Duke| OR: 102

50/1

Fair hurdler. Only eleventh of 15 in novice chase at Navan (17f, heavy, 200/1) 49 days ago so he needs to get back on track over this longer trip.

Form: 467P-50

Low Mileage²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: L P Dempsey| T: J P Dempsey

66/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. Remote sixth of 8 in novice chase at Naas (20f, soft, 200/1) on debut over fences 26 days ago. Significantly more is required.

Form: 2-7006

Forecasts

Salmanino (6/4), From The Ashes (11/4), Speed Gang (6/1), Old Soul (7/1), Simply Shabra (10/1), Cahirdown Boy (11/1), Coolcullen (50/1), Round The Buoy (66/1), Low Mileage (66/1)

SALMANINO looks to have been found a good opportunity to open his chase account after posting two good second placings this term and with this return to a longer trip also a plus. From The Ashes exited early when tried in cheekpieces here last time and can bounce back with the headgear quickly dispensed. The lightly raced Speed Gang and fencing newcomer Old Soul are two more to consider for place purposes.