15:45 Punchestown

Sunday 19 February 2023

All13:1013:4014:1014:4015:1015:4516:2016:55

David Trundley Artist At Punchestown Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:46 | Winning time: 6m 21.60s

Gallant John Joe^b,t⁵⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Phillip Enright| T: O McKiernan| OR: 130| C

25/1

Course winner. Thirteen runs since last win in 2019. 11/1, nineteenth of 28 in handicap chase at Leopardstown (24.2f, soft) 54 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Others have achieved more.

Form: 542-230

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Spyglass Hill^p,t²⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-8| J: H Morgan⁽³⁾| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 126| D

50/1

Cheekpieces on for 1st time, tenth of 13 in handicap hurdle (22/1) at Navan (20f, soft) 29 days ago. Tongue strap back on. Must improve.

Form: R192-P0

A Great View^b¹⁵

Age: 12| Weight: 11-6| J: Aidan Kelly⁽⁷⁾| T: D Cullen| OR: 124| CD

14/1

C&D winner. Blinkered for 1st time, eleventh of 17 in handicap hurdle at Leopardstown (24f, good to soft, 66/1) 15 days ago.

Form: 81-59P0

Coventry^b⁵³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Danny Gilligan⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 121

7/1

18/1 and blinkered for 1st time, below form eighth of 27 in handicap hurdle at Leopardstown (24f, soft) 53 days ago but has dropped back to the mark he was a good second off over C&D in the autumn. Considered.

Form: 70-2388

Bigz Belief^t²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: P J Carberry| T: M J Smith| OR: 120

66/1

25/1, respectable eighth of 18 in handicap hurdle at Naas (15.7f, soft) 21 days ago. Significantly up in trip.

Form: 0-78068

Enchanted Magic⁸⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Sean Flanagan| T: C A McBratney| OR: 120| BF

80/1

Won a Gowran maiden for Eoin Doyle last February but pulled up in a handicap there for Wille Mullins in November and has changed yard again. Steps up significantly in trip. Not the easiest to assess.

Form: 1-P

Riggs¹¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: B W Harvey⁽⁵⁾| T: J C McConnell| OR: 120

28/1

One win from 21 NH runs. Sixteen runs since last win in 2020. Below form sixth of 13 in handicap hurdle (13/2) at Aintree (24.7f, good to soft) 119 days ago.

Form: 665346

Bodhisattva^p³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Jordan Gainford| T: G Elliott| OR: 119

17/2

6/1, respectable fourth of 12 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (24f, heavy) 36 days ago. Enters calculations for leading stable.

Form: 31P-354

Ballyadam Destiny^p²²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: Daniel King⁽⁵⁾| T: D Hogan| OR: 116| D

28/1

Latest win in hurdle at Galway in October. Fifth of 8 in handicap chase (7/2) at Fairyhouse (25.5f, soft) 22 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles.

Form: 016325

Barbary Master^t1²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: B J Cooper| T: N Meade| OR: 116

9/1

Respectable third of 18 in novice hurdle at Naas (19f, soft, 28/1) 21 days ago, unsuited by drop in trip. Up in trip. Tongue strap on 1st time.

Form: 0/5330-3

Martha Divine^p,t³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: P Nolan| OR: 116| C

8/1

Cheekpieces on for 1st time, creditable second of 12 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (24f, heavy, 10/1) 36 days ago. Can give a good account.

Form: 12-4F52

Time Marches On^p²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: M J M O'Sullivan⁽⁵⁾| T: J Motherway| OR: 114

8/1

Blinkered for 1st time, respectable fifth of 9 in novice hurdle at this course (20.3f, heavy, 9/2) 20 days ago, unsuited by drop in trip. Cheekpieces back on. Can make presence felt.

Form: 352635

Instant Return³⁵⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: J S McGarvey| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 111| C

125/1

Course winner. Nineteenth of 21 in handicap hurdle at Naas (15.5f, soft, 18/1), going in snatches. Off 11 months. Significantly up in trip. First run for yard after leaving Jessica Harrington.

Form: 12/0070-

Verdant Place³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-4| J: Simon Torrens| T: P T Foley| OR: 108| C

5/2

Lightly-raced winner over hurdles. 13/8, career best when winning 15-runner handicap hurdle at this course (20.6f, heavy) 34 days ago, driven out. 3m should suit. Likely capable of better again. Big player.

Form: 57-931

Bluebell Diva^h²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Gavin Brouder⁽⁵⁾| T: M F Morris| OR: 106

8/1

7/2, career best when winning 15-runner handicap hurdle at Gowran (20.4f, heavy) 24 days ago, always holding on. Yard having good spell. Raised 8 lb but there could be even more to come.

Form: 672131

Cher Why Not³⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 10-0| J: Cian Quirke⁽⁷⁾| T: T Doyle| OR: 104| D

12/1

Latest win in hurdle at Fairyhouse in January. 17/2, very good third of 12 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (24f, heavy) 36 days ago.

Form: 845413

West Is Awake^h⁵³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: E Cawley| OR: 103

7/1

Below form eighth of 19 in handicap hurdle at Leopardstown (20f, soft, 8/1) 53 days ago. Others more persuasive.

Form: 9916-48

Forecasts

Verdant Place (5/2), Coventry (7/1), West Is Awake (7/1), Martha Divine (8/1), Time Marches On (8/1), Bluebell Diva (8/1), Bodhisattva (17/2), Barbary Master (9/1), Cher Why Not (12/1), A Great View (14/1), Gallant John Joe (25/1), Riggs (28/1), Ballyadam Destiny (28/1), Spyglass Hill (50/1), Bigz Belief (66/1), Enchanted Magic (80/1), Instant Return (125/1)

There should be more to come from the unexposed VERDANT PLACE now moving up to 3m so he's seleceted to make light of a 6 lb rise for last month's course success. Gordon Elliott pair pair Coventry and Bodhisattva head the many dangers along with the thriving Bluebell Diva.