Full Circle Series At Punchestown Festival Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:05 | Winning time: 6m 6.75s

Haas Boy³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: S Bowen| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 110

10/3

Has slipped in the weights and bounced back to form when third of 15 in handicap hurdle at Huntingdon (20.7f, soft, 7/1) 34 days ago, finishing well despite a couple of late mistakes. Must enter calculations.

Form: 526-853

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Rocco Royale⁷⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: Benjamin Macey⁽¹⁰⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 109

5/1

Progressed further when landing a 6-runner novice at Fontwell (19.2f, good to soft) in April. There's nothing wrong with that form but he ran no sort of race sent handicapping at Lingfield 8 months later. Still early days and 10-lb conditional takes over in the saddle.

Form: 6531-8

Tune In A Box²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Stan Sheppard| T: T Lacey| OR: 104| BF

6/4

Much improved since sent handicapping up in trip, scoring at Newcastle (23.7f) and at Wetherby (24.1f). Failed only narrowly in his bid for a hat-trick bid under a penalty at Ffos Las and remains unexposed.

Form: 5-69112

Captain Boudet^p1³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Rex Dingle| T: J Scott| OR: 103

8/1

Third on completed start in Irish points and promise when reaching the frame in a pair of 19.5f Chepstow maiden hurdles in the autumn. Unsuited by the way the race developed switched to a handicap at Sandown last month and retains potential in first-time cheekpieces.

Form: P-3439

Defi Nonantais¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Cobden| T: J Tizzard| OR: 101

11/2

Finished third on his sole outing in Irish points and has shown steady improvement in 3 novice hurdles. Opening mark could have been kinder but further improvement possible.

Form: 3-843

Bellamy's Grey²⁷

Age: 12| Weight: 10-2| J: Miss Thomosina Eyston⁽⁷⁾| T: C J Gray| OR: 78

12/1

Unreliable veteran who produced one of his better efforts when second in 11-runner handicap at this course (19.8f, soft) 27 days ago, typically racing lazily. No banker to be in the same form.

Form: P740-62

Crookbarrow^b,t²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Philip Armson⁽³⁾| T: Cynthia Woods| OR: 74

150/1

Has shown precious little to date so easily passed over from 10 lb out of the weights.

Form: P7PPP5

Forecasts

Tune In A Box (6/4), Haas Boy (10/3), Rocco Royale (5/1), Defi Nonantais (11/2), Captain Boudet (8/1), Bellamy's Grey (12/1), Crookbarrow (150/1)

TUNE IN A BOX has done nothing but improve since sent handicapping and, having been edged out only by a well-treated veteran on his most recent outing, he remains of strong interest. Haas Boy bounced back to form when third at Huntingdon last month and is sure to be on the premises with a repeat, while Defi Nonantais could take another step forward on his handicap debut.