12:45 Punchestown

Sunday 26 November 2023

All11:4012:1012:4513:2013:5514:3015:0015:35

Fox Valet Retirement Handicap Hurdle (80-116)

Off time: 12:45 | Winning time: 6m 21.5s

Takarengo^p⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-13| J: Mr C Mullins⁽⁷⁾| T: T Mullins| OR: 114

18/1

One win from 32 NH runs. Nineteen runs since last win in 2021. 33/1, respectable tenth of 20 in handicap hurdle at Cheltenham (21f, soft) 9 days ago. Others more persuasive.

Form: 356330

Bob Cigar²⁰⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 112

4/1

Progressive sort who shaped well when third of 12 in novice hurdle at Downpatrick (21.8f, good to soft). Off 6 months. Makes handicap hurdle debut. More to offer, especially now up in trip. Player.

Form: 243-3

Quest With Speed⁵^{(ex 7)}

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Shane Fenelon⁽⁷⁾| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 104

10/3

Lightly-raced winner over hurdles. Career best when winning 14-runner novice hurdle at Limerick (19f, heavy, 10/1) 5 days ago, pushed out. Carries 7 lb penalty for his handicap hurdle debut. Well in the mix.

Form: F5/046-1

Wa Wa^p,t²⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: P J O'Hanlon⁽³⁾| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 111| D

22/1

33/1, thirteenth of 15 in handicap hurdle at Galway (21.9f, heavy) 29 days ago, soon off bridle. Others appeal more.

Form: 17-0900

Western Zara²¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: R Deegan| T: P Nolan| OR: 111| D

12/1

Pulled up in handicap chase (7/1) at this course (21.2f, good to soft), pulled up entering back straight. Off 7 months. Switches from chase to hurdles. Easy to look elsewhere.

Form: 2/5307P-

Irish Envoy⁴⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: T P Harney⁽⁷⁾| T: Liz Doyle| OR: 109| C

15/2

Promising sort. Career best when winning 22-runner handicap hurdle (16/1) at this course (20f, good) 47 days ago, digging deep. Up in trip. Not taken lightly.

Form: 10/0201

Marronstown¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: B W Harvey⁽³⁾| T: D M Christie| OR: 108| D

28/1

18/1, below form fifth of 15 in novice hurdle at Down Royal (22.5f, soft) 16 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Hard to make a case for.

Form: 3U75-35

It Could Be You^p⁴⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: J B Foley| T: T Mullins| OR: 107

33/1

Fifteenth of 17 in handicap hurdle at this course (20f, good to soft, 33/1) 46 days ago. Back up in trip with work to do.

Form: 5746F-0

Balkito^p³¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: M J M O'Sullivan| T: B Connell| OR: 106| D

9/1

11/2, respectable fourth of 10 in handicap chase at this course (22.7f, heavy). Off 10 months. Switches from chase to hurdles. Enters calculations if fully tuned up.

Form: PF11/74-

Millstream Lady³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: C P McNamara| T: E McNamara| OR: 105

12/1

Scored at Listowel before posting an excellent second of 10 in handicap hurdle at Limerick (19.4f, heavy) 35 days ago, just failing. Up in trip. Holds good claims despite a 4 lb rise.

Form: 02P-011

Ballycashin^h¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: J J Slevin| T: A Mullins| OR: 103

12/1

Hooded for 1st time, respectable seventh of 16 in handicap hurdle at this course (16.5f, soft, 11/1) 10 days ago, left with lot to do. Significantly up in trip. Shortlisted.

Form: 66-5887

Dr Val²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: E Sheehy| OR: 101| CD

11/1

C&D winner. 22/1, below form sixth of 17 in handicap hurdle at Cork (20f, soft) 21 days ago. Back up in trip. Needs to bounce back.

Form: P1546-6

Cher Why Not²³¹

Age: 11| Weight: 10-13| J: Mr D Doyle⁽⁷⁾| T: T Doyle| OR: 100| D

9/1

Latest win in hurdle at Fairyhouse in January. Fifteenth of 16 in handicap hurdle at Cork (24.4f, good to soft, 20/1). Off 7 months. Can make presence felt if back on song.

Form: 134760-

Pictures Of Home³⁵⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Shane O'Callaghan⁽⁵⁾| T: T M Walsh| OR: 99| D

50/1

9/1, eleventh of 12 in novice chase at Tramore (21.4f, soft). Off 11 months. Switches from chase to hurdles with lots more needed.

Form: 54214/0-

Benkei^p¹⁶

Age: 13| Weight: 10-10| J: Miss M Walsh⁽⁷⁾| T: H Rogers| OR: 97

18/1

Seventeen runs since last win in 2018. 22/1, good second of 19 in handicap hurdle at Down Royal (24.1f, soft) 16 days ago, running on. Heading back in the right direction recently.

Form: 434-832

One Of Us Is Lying^t¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-1| J: M M McDonagh⁽³⁾| T: N McCluskey| OR: 88

80/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. Tenth of 19 in novice hurdle at Down Royal (16.9f, soft, 200/1) 15 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: P05780

Land Jet³⁷²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: P Maher| OR: 87

50/1

First run since leaving Joseph Patrick O'Brien when below form fourteenth of 22 in handicap hurdle at this course (24.6f, good to soft, 50/1). Off 12 months.

Form: 08323/0-

Forecasts

Quest With Speed (10/3), Bob Cigar (4/1), Irish Envoy (15/2), Cher Why Not (9/1), Balkito (9/1), Dr Val (11/1), Western Zara (12/1), Ballycashin (12/1), Millstream Lady (12/1), Takarengo (18/1), Benkei (18/1), Wa Wa (22/1), Marronstown (28/1), It Could Be You (33/1), Land Jet (50/1), Pictures Of Home (50/1), One Of Us Is Lying (80/1)

Lots with chances. MILLSTREAM LADY arrives on the up and with this longer trip also a likely plus then Eric McNamara's mare can quickly resume winning ways. Irish Envoy is next on the list on the back of his course success last time, with Gordon Elliott's handicap-debutant Bob Cigar also not taken lightly. Quest With Speed, Benkei and Ballycashin complete the shortlist.