17:30 Punchestown

Saturday 29 April 2023

All14:3515:1015:5016:2517:0017:3018:0518:40

Fitzwilliam Sports Handicap Hurdle (Grade B)

Off time: 17:32 | Winning time: 4m 48.50s

Winter Fog⁴³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: K Callaghan⁽⁷⁾| T: W P Mullins| OR: 148| D

16/1

Bit below form fourteenth of 24 in handicap hurdle at Cheltenham (16.8f, good to soft, 25/1) 43 days ago, needing stiffer test. Yard in good form. Others have achieved more.

Form: 240-510

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Ballyadam^t⁴³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Mike O'Connor⁽⁵⁾| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 147

16/1

Twelve runs since last win in 2020. 12/1, good fifth of 24 in handicap hurdle at Cheltenham (16.8f, good to soft) 43 days ago, travelling strongly. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 505-035

Galore Desassences^p¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Kieren Buckley⁽³⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 140| D

25/1

Latest win in hurdle at Doncaster in November. First run since leaving Nigel Hawke when good second of 19 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (21.7f, soft, 28/1) 19 days ago. Cheekpieces back on.

Form: 3-P1P62

The Shunter^h,t⁵⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-4| J: Donagh Meyler| T: E Mullins| OR: 140| C| D

25/1

16/5, 6¾ lengths third of 4 to Empire Steel in listed chase at Kelso (23.4f, good to soft) 56 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles.

Form: UP7-863

An Epic Song^p,t⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: J J Slevin| T: M Brassil| OR: 139| CD

11/2

Tongue strap on for 1st time cheekpieces on for 1st time, very good second of 26 in handicap hurdle (16/1) at Cheltenham (21f, soft) 45 days ago, just failing. Should be in the mix.

Form: 481-002

The Very Man^p²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 10-13| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 135| C| D

25/1

11/1, good third of 14 in handicap hurdle at Cork (19f, good to soft) 20 days ago.

Form: 0-03903

Ambitious Fellow¹⁸⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Simon Torrens| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 134| C

40/1

Course winner. 3 wins from 6 runs this season. 5/2, pulled up in listed hurdle at Limerick (21f, soft) won by Plains Indian, pulled up circuit out. Off 6 months. Must improve.

Form: 1-21B1P

Heia¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 134| C

9/1

Course winner. 11/1, good seventh of 19 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (21.7f, soft) 19 days ago. Drop back in trip will help and bold bid expected.

Form: 30-2157

Seddon⁴⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 10-12| J: B W Harvey⁽⁵⁾| T: J C McConnell| OR: 134| D

13/2

3 wins from 9 runs this season. Career best when winning 23-runner handicap chase (20/1) at Cheltenham (20.6f, soft) 44 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Enters calculations.

Form: F23111

Joyeux Machin^p1,t²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: R Deegan| T: P Nolan| OR: 133

25/1

4/1, 36¼ lengths fifth of 6 to Hercule Du Seuil in Hardy Eustace Novices' Hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, good to soft) 20 days ago. Cheekpieces on 1st time. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: P7-31P5

Tax For Max^t⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: D A Jacob| T: W P Mullins| OR: 133| C

7/1

Course winner. Latest win in hurdle here in November. Good second of 18 in handicap hurdle at this course (16.4f, good to soft, 9/1) 4 days ago. Big player.

Form: 316052

Itswhatunitesus^h¹²³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: Danny Gilligan⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 132| C

40/1

Course winner. Tailed-off last of 6 to Facile Vega in Future Champions Novices' Hurdle at Leopardstown (16f, soft, 33/1) 123 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Something to find on form.

Form: 14-2116

Power Of Pause²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-10| J: J B Foley| T: W P Mullins| OR: 132| C| D

50/1

Course winner. 50/1, below form 23¼ lengths seventh of 16 to Risk Belle in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (16.4f, soft) 21 days ago, unable to sustain effort.

Form: 134B6/7

Horantzau D'airy^t²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 129

10/1

Good 5½ lengths third of 16 to Risk Belle in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (16.4f, soft, 16/1) 21 days ago. Another bold show likely.

Form: 1/2-223

Risk Belle²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-4| J: L P Dempsey| T: W P Mullins| OR: 134| BF

9/2

7/2, career best when winning 16-runner handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (16.4f, soft) 21 days ago (second past the post but subsequently promoted). One to bear in mind.

Form: 154F31

Mighty Tom³⁴⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-3| J: D F O'Regan| T: C Collins| OR: 125

40/1

Latest win in hurdle at Thurles in December 2021. 33/1, bit below form tenth of 16 in handicap hurdle at Killarney (17f, good to soft). Off 11 months. First run for yard after leaving Thomas Cooper.

Form: 5/31P0-0

Starzov¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 122

25/1

Latest win in hurdle at Cork in January. Creditable tenth of 22 in handicap hurdle (50/1) at Aintree (24.7f, good) 14 days ago. Back down in trip. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 80F130

Green Glory¹⁰⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: Phillip Enright| T: C Byrnes| OR: 121| BF| C

11/2

Latest win in hurdle at Leopardstown in December. 9/2, creditable fourth of 20 in handicap hurdle at Kempton (21f, heavy) 105 days ago. Can make presence felt.

Form: 445614

Non-Runners

Beacon Edge²

Weight: 11-6| Age: 9

T: N Meade J: L A McKenna

Master McShee²

Weight: 11-5| Age: 9

T: P Corkery J: Non Runner

Felix Desjy⁴³

Weight: 11-4| Age: 10

T: G Elliott J: C McGivern

Forecasts

Risk Belle (9/2), An Epic Song (11/2), Green Glory (11/2), Seddon (13/2), Tax For Max (7/1), Heia (9/1), Horantzau D'airy (10/1), Ballyadam (16/1), Winter Fog (16/1), Beacon Edge (16/1), Master McShee (20/1), Felix Desjy (20/1), The Very Man (25/1), Starzov (25/1), Joyeux Machin (25/1), Galore Desassences (25/1), The Shunter (25/1), Mighty Tom (40/1), Ambitious Fellow (40/1), Itswhatunitesus (40/1), Power Of Pause (50/1)

Willie Mullins has a tremendous record in this race and fields half-a-dozen candidates. HEIA, who is Paul Townend's pick, arrives here fresh on the back of an encouraging spin at Fairyhouse where she was returning from 9 months off, and the 6-y-o may well be the answer. Tax For Max, another member of the Mullins battalion, put in a good shift here on Tuesday and is feared most with this step back up in trip a good move. The in-form Seddon, An Epic Song and Green Glory are others to consider.