13:25 Punchestown

Monday 15 January 2024

All12:5513:2513:5514:2514:5515:2516:00

John Thomas McNamara Series (Q.R.) Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:26 | Winning time: 4m 17.4s

Joyeux Vivo¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 12-4| J: Alex Harvey| T: J & T Kiely| OR: 109

11/2

Lightly-raced maiden under Rules. Below form tenth of 16 in novice hurdle (9/2) at Leopardstown (20f, heavy) 18 days ago, unable to sustain effort. Improvement could be on the way now pitched into a handicap.

Form: 3-260

The Grey Falco^t¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 12-4| J: Mr R Sugrue⁽⁴⁾| T: T Cooper| OR: 109| D

50/1

Latest win in hurdle at Southwell in June. First run since leaving Ben Pauling when last of 9 in handicap hurdle (28/1) at Tramore (16.8f, heavy) 14 days ago.

Form: P8-U149

Miss Oreo^h¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 12-2| J: Harry Sexton⁽²⁾| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 107

18/1

Below form ninth of 16 in handicap hurdle (14/1) at Fairyhouse (20.6f, heavy) 14 days ago, weakening quickly. Back down in trip. Can give a good account without posing serious threat to principals.

Form: 0541P9

Imperial Ruler^p,t¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr J P Sutton⁽⁴⁾| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 105| D

20/1

66/1 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, twentieth of 21 in handicap hurdle at Leopardstown (20f, heavy) 18 days ago.

Form: 4-U0000

Ricky Bobby³⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr D Doyle⁽²⁾| T: T Doyle| OR: 103| D

9/2

Creditable second of 10 in handicap hurdle at Cork (16.8f, heavy, 3/1) 36 days ago. 2 lb rise fair enough and he's a live contender.

Form: P74F-22

It'sallabouteve²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr C J Shine⁽²⁾| T: Brendan Walsh| OR: 102| D

12/1

Twelve runs since last win in 2021. 25/1, ninth of 12 in handicap hurdle at Limerick (20f, heavy) 20 days ago.

Form: 0-6P999

McGrath From Clune^h,t³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Mr J H Williamson⁽²⁾| T: R Tyner| OR: 97

9/2

Chase winner at Thurles in November. 5/2, respectable fourth of 10 in handicap hurdle at Cork (16.8f, heavy) 36 days ago. Merits consideration.

Form: 42-6414

Monty's Way^t²¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Mr I Ryan⁽⁴⁾| T: G Stanley| OR: 97

50/1

Pulled up in handicap hurdle at Downpatrick (17.3f, good to soft, 25/1), pulled up after 2 out. Off 7 months. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 068-90P

Brogue Man River²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Mr J Kidd⁽⁴⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 94

28/1

Thrice-raced maiden. Seventeenth of 23 in novice hurdle at Leopardstown (16f, good to soft, 250/1) 20 days ago. May well be seen in a better light now switched to handicap company.

Form: 000

Hutchie⁹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Mr M N Sharpe⁽⁴⁾| T: Stephen Gerard Carey| OR: 94| BF

25/1

Successful at Galway in September. Eleventh of 14 in novice chase at Tramore (21.7f, heavy, 9/4) 95 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Back down in trip.

Form: P99120

Morricone^p³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Mr J Dunne| T: R Hackett| OR: 94

5/2

Successful at Downpatrick in September. 11/2 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, good second of 17 in handicap hurdle at this course (19.2f, heavy) 34 days ago. High on the shortlist.

Form: 021542

Walkonthebriteside^t¹⁷⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Mr A P Ryan| T: J C McConnell| OR: 92

25/1

Lightly-raced maiden under Rules. 50/1 and tongue strap on for 1st time, seventh of 15 in novice hurdle at Killarney (20f, good) 179 days ago. Makes handicap debut and he's open to progress.

Form: 7-897

The Border Boy¹⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Mr S Tobin⁽²⁾| T: S Aherne| OR: 88

40/1

Lightly-raced maiden under Rules. Ninth of 14 in novice hurdle at Killarney (16.4f, good to soft, 150/1) 142 days ago. By no means impossible that he'll raise his game now handicapping.

Form: 8079

Derby De Thaix³²

Age: 11| Weight: 10-8| J: Miss H Heffernan⁽⁴⁾| T: J Fahey| OR: 85| D

12/1

Remains a maiden after 33 NH runs. Thirty-six runs since last win in 2017. 18/1, good fourth of 17 in handicap hurdle at Naas (16f, soft) 32 days ago. Place possibilities.

Form: 78P/6-34

Future Proof^p¹⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 10-8| J: Mr T Power Roche| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 85| D

14/1

One win from 41 NH runs. Thirty-one runs since last win in 2020. Below form sixth of 22 in handicap hurdle at this course (16.7f, heavy, 25/1) 15 days ago. Yard saddles a stronger candidate in Woodstream Lad.

Form: 750406

Lyla Garrity⁵⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: Mr B Barry⁽²⁾| T: W J Austin| OR: 83

22/1

7/1, below form seventh of 14 in handicap hurdle at Limerick (21f, heavy) 55 days ago, possibly amiss when. Down in trip. First run for yard after leaving Maike Magnussen. Others more persuasive.

Form: UF/08-57

Treyarnon Bay^p1⁶⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: Miss Abigail Voyce⁽⁴⁾| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 80| D

80/1

Unreliable individual. Ninth of 15 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (23.8f, heavy, 33/1) 69 days ago. Significantly back down in trip. Cheekpieces on for 1st time.

Form: 40-P009

Non-Runners

Woodstream Lad²⁰

Weight: 11-9| Age: 7

T: P J Rothwell J: Miss P Elvin

Forecasts

Morricone (5/2), Woodstream Lad (4/1), Ricky Bobby (9/2), McGrath From Clune (9/2), Joyeux Vivo (11/2), It'sallabouteve (12/1), Derby De Thaix (12/1), Future Proof (14/1), Miss Oreo (18/1), Imperial Ruler (20/1), Lyla Garrity (22/1), Hutchie (25/1), Walkonthebriteside (25/1), Brogue Man River (28/1), The Border Boy (40/1), The Grey Falco (50/1), Monty's Way (50/1), Treyarnon Bay (80/1)

JOYEUX VIVO showed plenty on debut in a bumper here last spring and his reappearance second in a Gowran maiden hurdle was promising, too. The 5-y-o has failed to build on that in two subsequent appearances but he could be about to take a big step forward now pitched into a handicap. Woodstream Lad has looked better than ever since joining this yard and he rates the main danger, albeit only marginally as the likes of Ricky Bobby, McGrath From Clune and Morricone also merit respect.