15:40 Punchestown

Friday 28 April 2023

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

Stanley Asphalt Hunters Chase For The Bishopscourt Cup

Off time: 15:41 | Winning time: 5m 42.8s

An Droichead Gorm³³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr B O'Neill| T: P Maher| OR: 95

12/1

Modest hurdler/chaser. Winning pointer, last of 6 last time (Mar 26). Could make his presence felt.

Form: 217-446

Artic Weather^b1,t1¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr J W Hannon⁽⁷⁾| T: Ian McCarthy

4/1

Arctic Cosmos gelding. Brother to bumper winner Von Humboldt. Runner-up twice from 4 starts in points, including last time (Apr 16). Worth a market check.

Form: P242

Chateau Elan⁵⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr I Cribbin⁽⁷⁾| T: R O'Sullivan

10/1

Once-raced maiden. 40/1 and hooded, unseated rider in hunter chase at Limerick (22.6f, heavy) on NH debut 122 days ago.

Form: 2F4UUU

Fr Gilligansvoyge^t,v⁵⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr Pat Taaffe⁽⁷⁾| T: J G Carr| OR: 66

25/1

Poor chaser. Remains a maiden after 41 NH runs. Dead-heated for first (with winner here earlier in the week Three By Two) on second of 2 starts in points (Mar 5). Not completely ruled out.

Form: P00531

Happy Victory²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr H C Swan⁽⁵⁾| T: G Elliott| C

4/1

Modest hurdler. 8/1, fourth of 9 in hunter chase at Downpatrick (23.4f, heavy) 26 days ago, unable to sustain effort. Needs to find improvement.

Form: 5P11P4

Jet Fighter³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr S Cavanagh⁽⁷⁾| T: P Maher| OR: 102

7/1

Fair chaser. 12/1, respectable sixth of 12 in cross-country event at this course (25f, good to soft) 3 days ago. Difficult to oppose.

Form: 022P16

Lesssaidthebetter³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr T Power Roche⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 83

16/1

Poor hurdler. Remains a maiden after 28 NH runs. 33/1, unseated rider in minor event chase at this course (25f, good to soft) 3 days ago. Others preferred.

Form: U313PU

Matthews Hill¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr J W Hendrick⁽⁷⁾| T: P Flood

8/1

Kalanisi gelding. Dam, fairly useful bumper winner. Made frame completed starts in points, still in front when fell 2 out last time (Apr 9). Not discounted.

Form: 4/4PF

Royal Juniper^t²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr D O'Connor| T: A J Martin

17/2

Lightly-raced maiden. 12/1, pulled up in hunter chase at Thurles (25.4f, soft) 46 days ago. Something to prove.

Form: 157PPP

Speaker Thomas^p1¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr T Hamilton| T: J J Hanlon

14/1

No form as yet under Rules but successful on the last of 5 starts in points, so not ruled out having a second go in this race. Tried in cheekpieces.

Form: PF-3F61

Keenaghan Lass⁴⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Mr T P Harney⁽⁷⁾| T: T F Shaw| OR: 74

8/1

Poor chaser. Creditable third of 10 in hunter chase (16/1) at Thurles (25.4f, soft) 46 days ago. Needs to improve.

Form: 076-623

Trim To Milan^t¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Mr J Dunne⁽⁷⁾| T: G Keane

33/1

Poor hurdler and maiden between the flags, so hard to make a case for on hunter debut.

Form: 695P63

Forecasts

Happy Victory (4/1), Artic Weather (4/1), Jet Fighter (7/1), Matthews Hill (8/1), Keenaghan Lass (8/1), Royal Juniper (17/2), Chateau Elan (10/1), An Droichead Gorm (12/1), Speaker Thomas (14/1), Lesssaidthebetter (16/1), Fr Gilligansvoyge (25/1), Trim To Milan (33/1)

JET FIGHTER acquitted himself well when sixth in the cross country earlier in the week and, if he can reproduce that sort of performance he should be hard to beat in what looks quite a thin race. An Droichead Gorm looks the chief threat and Artic Weather merits respect.