15:40 Punchestown

Thursday 2 May 2024

All15:4016:1516:5017:2518:0018:3519:0519:40

Specialist Group Handicap Hurdle (88-123)

Off time: 15:40 | Winning time: 4m 5.6s

Bowmore¹³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 123| BF

18/1

Lightly-raced winner over hurdles. 5/2, good third of 16 in handicap hurdle at Thurles (15.9f, good to soft) 137 days ago. Rachael Blackmore prefers Catena Zapata.

Form: 45-133

Holly³³

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Peter Smithers⁽⁷⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 123

5/1

Good second of 9 in handicap hurdle (20/1) at Haydock (15.6f, good to soft) 33 days ago, finishing with running left. Another bold show likely.

Form: 8-85142

Zoffanien¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr D Allen⁽⁷⁾| T: D Hogan| OR: 123

33/1

Thirteen runs since last win in 2022. 6/1, creditable third of 7 in handicap hurdle at Ballinrobe (17.6f, soft) 13 days ago.

Form: F-50353

Media Naranja⁴⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-13| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 122| D

11/1

Twelfth of 17 in handicap hurdle at Cheltenham (16.8f, heavy, 100/1) 48 days ago. Undeniable Alibi appears to be the stable No 1.

Form: 235840

Garrybello^t¹³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Danny Mullins| T: T Cooper| OR: 121

33/1

11/4, creditable fourth of 13 in maiden at Dundalk (12f). Switches from Flat to hurdles and looks vulnerable.

Form: 0-44F77

Judicieuse Allen³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 121

15/2

80/1, pulled up in Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Novices' Hurdle Championship Final at Fairyhouse (20f, heavy) 32 days ago. Was clearly out of her depth in that Grade 1 contest and better can be expected now pitched into a handicap.

Form: 2-154P

Walhaan^t,v²²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: E Walsh| T: Ciaran Murphy| OR: 121| D

50/1

Creditable fifth of 13 in handicap at Leopardstown (10f, heavy, 11/1) 22 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Visor back on. Fairly useful hurdler, respectable on last hurdle outing.

Form: 0-44346

Whiskeywealth²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: John Shinnick⁽⁷⁾| T: T O'Brien| OR: 121| D

20/1

Pulled up in handicap chase (8/1) at Aintree (15.8f, soft) 21 days ago, tying up straight. Resumes in this sphere on an attractive mark but others preferred all the same.

Form: 4F811P

Sign From Above⁷⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Sam Ewing| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 120

20/1

Winner in hurdle at Navan in September. Pulled up in handicap hurdle (25/1) at Gowran (20.1f, heavy) 75 days ago.

Form: 33158P

Catena Zapata^t³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 118

14/1

Lightly-raced maiden over hurdles. Fairly useful 1m winner on the Flat. Below form seventh of 18 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, heavy, 12/1) 31 days ago. Claims if on-song here.

Form: 22-627

Ballycallan King²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Sean Cleary-Farrell⁽⁷⁾| T: Barry J Fitzgerald| OR: 117| D

28/1

11/2, career best when winning 8-runner handicap hurdle at Limerick (16f, heavy) 21 days ago. Up 9 lb for that and this is a tougher assignment.

Form: 002451

Answering¹⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr D Doyle⁽⁷⁾| T: T Doyle| OR: 116| D

22/1

Winner in hurdle at Thurles in March. Good fourth of 13 in handicap hurdle at Naas (16.5f, soft, 15/2) 16 days ago. Enters calculations.

Form: 562214

Nara^h,t⁵¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-6| J: Mark Walsh| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 121

5/1

Seventh of 22 in juvenile hurdle at Cheltenham (16.4f, heavy, 22/1) 51 days ago, unable to sustain effort. Remains of interest.

Form: 1-447

Rumi^h⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Phillip Enright| T: E J O'Grady| OR: 115| D

22/1

Lightly-raced winner under Rules. Switches from Flat to hurdles (successful on the level at Gowran recently) and will need to raise his game in order to emerge on top here.

Form: 157-F

War Correspondent^t⁵⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Donagh Meyler| T: R P Cody| OR: 115| CD

40/1

C&D winner. Sixth of 9 in handicap at Dundalk (12f, 5/1) 55 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Below form on last hurdle outing.

Form: 36-F000

Hands On²⁰⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: Simon Torrens| T: E Bolger| OR: 120| D

12/1

Promising individual. One win from 2 runs last season. Won 10-runner juvenile hurdle (9/2) at Cork (16.1f, good to soft), cosily. Off 6 months ahead of this handicap debut. Mark Walsh prefers Nara but he's a live contender all the same.

Form: 41

Killeemore Lad^t1⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Philip Donovan⁽⁵⁾| T: A Slattery| OR: 113| D

50/1

10/1, good second of 9 in handicap hurdle at Tipperary (16f, good to soft) 9 days ago. Tongue strap on 1st time. Can give a good account without posing serious threat to principals.

Form: 115482

The Shantou King^p,t⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: M M McDonagh⁽³⁾| T: Aengus King| OR: 113| D

66/1

Good fourth of 9 in handicap hurdle (50/1) at Tipperary (16f, good to soft) 9 days ago. Tongue strap back on, cheekpieces back on. Can give a good account without posing serious threat to principals.

Form: 71P464

Clever Currency^p,t³⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Ben Kennedy⁽⁷⁾| T: P W Flynn| OR: 112| D

28/1

10/3, creditable sixth of 14 in handicap at Dundalk (16f) 37 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Fairly useful hurdler, good on last hurdle run. Looks competitive on form.

Form: 212972

Pigeon House^p⁵¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-3| J: N de Boinville| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 118

16/1

Below form ninth of 22 in juvenile hurdle at Cheltenham (16.4f, heavy, 50/1) 51 days ago. Has work to do.

Form: 224229

Timeless Piece⁹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: Carl Millar⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 116| BF

33/1

Lightly-raced winner over hurdles. Successful at Down Royal in January. Fourth of 6 in juvenile hurdle (5/4) at this course (16.1f, heavy) 94 days ago. Remains open to improvement but Undeniable Alibi is seemingly the stable first-string.

Form: 74514

Club Manager⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Sean Flanagan| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 113| D

8/1

Lightly-raced winner over hurdles. Career best when winning 16-runner handicap hurdle at Bellewstown (17f, good to soft, 11/1) 8 days ago, pushed out. Should progress.

Form: 5581

Macinamillion^h³¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: Conor Stone-Walsh⁽⁵⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 112| D

33/1

Lightly-raced winner over hurdles. Career best when winning 15-runner handicap hurdle at Cork (16f, heavy, 12/1) 31 days ago. Must improve. RESERVE.

Form: 87851

Grappa Nonino²³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Jordan Gainford| T: D K Weld| OR: 112| D

9/1

Lightly-raced winner over hurdles. Creditable fourth of 9 in handicap (10/3) at Clonmel (16.6f, good). Off 7 months. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Merits consideration. RESERVE.

Form: 0015-

Non-Runners

Undeniable Alibi²⁸

Weight: 11-10| Age: 5

T: G Elliott J: Jack Kennedy

Luminous Light¹

Weight: 11-8| Age: 5

T: A McCann J: J J Slevin

Zeeband²⁰

Weight: 11-6| Age: 7

T: P J Gilligan J: Non Runner

Elusive Prince¹

Weight: 11-3| Age: 5

T: H De Bromhead J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Nara (5/1), Holly (5/1), Judicieuse Allen (15/2), Club Manager (8/1), Undeniable Alibi (8/1), Grappa Nonino (9/1), Media Naranja (11/1), Hands On (12/1), Catena Zapata (14/1), Pigeon House (16/1), Bowmore (18/1), Whiskeywealth (20/1), Sign From Above (20/1), Answering (22/1), Rumi (22/1), Zeeband (25/1), Ballycallan King (28/1), Clever Currency (28/1), Macinamillion (33/1), Garrybello (33/1), Luminous Light (33/1), Zoffanien (33/1), Timeless Piece (33/1), War Correspondent (40/1), Killeemore Lad (50/1), Walhaan (50/1), The Shantou King (66/1)

Despite being passed over by Mark Walsh, the unexposed HANDS ON makes plenty of appeal. Indeed, it was a decent maiden that he won at Cork in October and, provided all is well following a break, he could be about to take a step forward now pitched into a handicap. Undeniable Alibi is also open to improvement and is just about feared most ahead of British raider Holly, Nara, who is Walsh's pick, and Answering.