16:50 Punchestown

Tuesday 25 April 2023

All15:4016:1516:5017:2518:0018:3519:1019:45

Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle (Grade B)

Off time: 16:50 | Winning time: 4m 2.50s

Fils D'oudairies¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Danny Gilligan⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 145

16/1

Latest win in hurdle at Leopardstown in March. Respectable fourth of 8 in minor event hurdle (4/1) at Cork (16f, good to soft) 16 days ago. Can go well under red-hot conditional.

Form: 552014

Cash Back^h¹⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 11-10| J: K Callaghan⁽⁷⁾| T: W P Mullins| OR: 143| D

12/1

Creditable second of 8 in minor event hurdle (6/1) at Cork (16f, good to soft) 16 days ago, no match for exciting winner. One to consider.

Form: 32-0232

Lucky Max¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr R James⁽⁷⁾| T: S Doyle| OR: 143| D

16/1

Latest win in hurdle at Cork in January. Creditable fourth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Cork (19f, good to soft, 10/1) 16 days ago, running on.

Form: 514824

Brazil²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Mark Walsh| T: P Roche| OR: 142| BF| D

7/1

2022 Fred Winter winner. 5/1, respectable tenth of 16 in handicap at Leopardstown (10f, heavy) 20 days ago, having to pick way through. Interesting back in this sphere.

Form: 113-212

Grand Roi^b1⁴¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: C McGivern⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 140| D

20/1

Creditable ninth of 26 in Coral Cup (50/1) at Cheltenham (21f, soft) 41 days ago. Down in trip. Blinkers on 1st time.

Form: 3-2FP79

Merlin Giant¹⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Donagh Meyler| T: E Mullins| OR: 140| D

14/1

Promising sort. 9/2, career best when winning 17-runner handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, heavy) 142 days ago, plenty in hand. More to come.

Form: 217-141

Path D'oroux^t³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 137| CD

8/1

12/1, pulled up in County Hurdle at Cheltenham (16.8f, good to soft) 39 days ago, no response. Tongue strap back on. Plenty to find on form.

Form: 1-1P41P

Annexation^t⁵¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Mike O'Connor⁽⁵⁾| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 133| D

40/1

Third of 7 in handicap hurdle (11/1) at Wexford (16f, good to soft) 51 days ago.

Form: 100-P83

Tax For Max^t¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: D A Jacob| T: W P Mullins| OR: 133| CD

9/1

C&D winner. 14/1, respectable fifth of 16 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (16.4f, soft) 17 days ago.

Form: 431605

Bialystok^h1⁵⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 130

14/1

Won 21-runner novice hurdle (2/1) at Naas (15.5f, good to soft) 58 days ago, just holding on. Hood on 1st time. Makes handicap hurdle debut and could have more to offer.

Form: 341

Glan^h²¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: L P Dempsey| T: G Elliott| OR: 130| C| D

25/1

Latest win in hurdle at Fairyhouse in April 2022. Off 7 months. Work to do on return.

Form: 51P-04P

Telecon^h¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Ricky Doyle| T: M Fahey| OR: 130| D

9/1

Promising individual. Off 8 months, career best when winning 19-runner handicap hurdle (14/1) at Fairyhouse (16f, soft) 15 days ago, comfortably. Can go well again.

Form: 3-41841

Man O Work⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Cian Cullinan⁽⁷⁾| T: P G Fahey| OR: 128| D

14/1

14/1, pulled up in handicap hurdle at Sandown (16f, soft) 45 days ago, pulled up 2 out. Must improve.

Form: 15-24FP

One Last Tango⁷⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: C G O'Dwyer⁽⁷⁾| T: E Griffin| OR: 124| BF| CD

9/1

C&D winner. Latest win in hurdle at Wexford in October. Creditable second of 5 in minor event hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, good to soft, evens) 76 days ago, conceding first run. Can go well.

Form: 581132

Tekao^h⁴²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-3| J: Simon Torrens| T: W P Mullins| OR: 130| BF| D

9/2

Winner at Leopardstown in December. 3/1, nineteenth of 21 in Fred Winter at Cheltenham (16.4f, soft) 42 days ago, excuses. Remains one to be positive about.

Form: 3130

Hey Johnny¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-1| J: J B Foley| T: T Mullins| OR: 120| CD

33/1

Latest win in hurdle at Thurles in January. Below form tenth of 16 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (16.4f, soft, 11/1) 17 days ago.

Form: P41530

Captains Nephew^t¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 118| D

16/1

Winner in hurdle at Clonmel in February. 14/1, bit below form sixth of 16 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (16.4f, soft) 17 days ago.

Form: 835716

Watch The Weather^t¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: R P Cody| OR: 118

40/1

16/1, ninth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Cork (19f, good to soft) 16 days ago.

Form: 12P209

Forecasts

Tekao (9/2), Brazil (7/1), Path D'oroux (8/1), Tax For Max (9/1), Telecon (9/1), One Last Tango (9/1), Cash Back (12/1), Bialystok (14/1), Man O Work (14/1), Merlin Giant (14/1), Fils D'oudairies (16/1), Captains Nephew (16/1), Lucky Max (16/1), Grand Roi (20/1), Glan (25/1), Hey Johnny (33/1), Annexation (40/1), Watch The Weather (40/1)

A red-hot handicap that can go to MERLIN GIANT. He was impressive when scoring at Fairyhouse in December and seems sure to improve further. Fred Winter favourite Tekao never got the chance to show what he's capable of at Cheltenham and could go well. Fils d'Oudairies, Telecon and Brazil are also on the shortlist.