16:50 Punchestown

Thursday 2 May 2024

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

Mongey Communications La Touche Cup Cross Country Chase

Off time: 16:50 | Winning time: 9m 32.30s

Coko Beach^b¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 12-7| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 159| C

5/4

Likeable grey who has looked better than ever this campaign. Took well to Cross Country when scoring here in February and easy to excuse latest effort in the Grand National. Clearly the one to beat.

Form: P-31210

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Stumptown¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 12-7| J: Sean Flanagan| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 149

11/2

Smart chaser. Latest win in chase at Cheltenham in January. Good third of 14 in handicap chase (6/1) at Cheltenham (26f, good) 15 days ago, closing all way to line. Up in trip. Biggest danger to Coko Beach.

Form: 48P1P3

Birchdale⁶⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Simon Torrens| T: E Bolger| OR: 132| C

4/1

Useful chaser. Course winner. Latest win in chase here in November. 11/1, good third of 10 in handicap chase at Leopardstown (21.5f, soft) 60 days ago. Significantly up in trip.

Form: 2631U3

Bodhisattva^v⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: B W Harvey| T: J C McConnell| OR: 121

18/1

Fairly useful chaser. Visored for 1st time, good third of 14 in handicap chase (22/1) at Downpatrick (28.8f, good) 6 days ago.

Form: 353B43

Subset^p¹⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr B T Stone⁽⁷⁾| T: P Maher| OR: 78| C

100/1

Fair chaser. Course winner. One win from 30 NH runs. Bit below form tenth of 16 in handicap chase at Down Royal (20f, good to soft, 40/1) 18 days ago. Significantly up in trip. Uphill task.

Form: 631-3P0

Vital Island^t⁸⁷

Age: 12| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr T Power Roche⁽⁷⁾| T: R P O'Keeffe| OR: 127| C

18/1

Fairly useful chaser. Pulled up in minor event chase at this course (24.6f, soft, 40/1) 87 days ago won by Coko Beach. Significantly up in trip.

Form: 21-P20P

A Rated^p1,t1³⁵⁴

Age: 13| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr F P Murphy⁽⁷⁾| T: L Kenny| OR: 142

200/1

Fair chaser. First run since leaving Henry De Bromhead when bit below form sixth of 11 in hunter chase (6/1) at Cork (20f, good to soft) over 3 years ago. Multiple winning pointer, pulled up last 2 starts (May 2023 latest).

Form: 1/252P-P

Blast Of Koeman^p,t²⁸

Age: 13| Weight: 11-7| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: P Maher| OR: 95

66/1

Temperamental sort. Two wins from 54 NH runs. 100/1, tenth of 24 in handicap hurdle at Naas (18.8f, soft) 28 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase. Significantly up in trip.

Form: PP42-80

El Paso Wood¹⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr R James⁽⁷⁾| T: C Bowe| OR: 128

50/1

Fair hurdler. Latest win in chase at Uttoxeter in September 2022. 5/1, fourth of 7 in handicap chase at Warwick (25.4f, good). Off 19 months. Up in trip. First run for yard after leaving David Pipe.

Form: 14-6PP3

Enjoy D'allen^p⁸⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: E Walsh| T: Ciaran Murphy| OR: 133

25/1

Fairly useful chaser. 12/1, below form well-beaten sixth of 10 to Coko Beach in minor event chase at this course (24.6f, soft) 87 days ago. Significantly up in trip. Something to prove.

Form: 60-57P6

Fameaftertheglory⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Kieren Buckley| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 115

9/1

Temperamental sort. One win from 25 NH runs. Good fourth of 10 in handicap hurdle at Bellewstown (24.5f, good to soft, 9/2) 8 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase. Significantly up in trip.

Form: 173334

Singing Banjo^p⁶⁸

Age: 14| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr B J Walsh⁽⁷⁾| T: B J Walsh| OR: 88| C

28/1

Fairly useful chaser. Course winner. 23 lengths seventh of 8 to Birchdale in minor event chase at this course (24f, soft, 5/1) 158 days ago. Significantly up in trip.

Form: 282-07P

Streets Of Doyen^b,t⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: Alex Harvey⁽⁷⁾| T: J C McConnell| OR: 128

28/1

Fairly useful hurdler. First run since leaving T. Gibney when unseated rider in handicap chase at Downpatrick (28.8f, good, 40/1) 6 days ago.

Form: 0P-105U

Three By Two²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Mr J W Hendrick⁽⁷⁾| T: D P Murphy| BF| C

9/1

Fair chaser. Course winner. 4/1, respectable fourth of 16 in novice chase at this course (24.4f, good to soft) 2 days ago. Significantly up in trip.

Form: 13-4734

Non-Runners

Michael's Pick²

Weight: 11-7| Age: 10

T: Ciaran Murphy J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Coko Beach (5/4), Birchdale (4/1), Stumptown (11/2), Three By Two (9/1), Fameaftertheglory (9/1), Bodhisattva (18/1), Vital Island (18/1), Enjoy D'allen (25/1), Singing Banjo (28/1), Streets Of Doyen (28/1), Michael's Pick (33/1), El Paso Wood (50/1), Blast Of Koeman (66/1), Subset (100/1), A Rated (200/1)

COKO BEACH can have his latest effort in the Grand National ignored and he was impressive on this Cross Country course the time before, so he's fancied to get back to winning ways with the others all having something to find. Stumptown is the clear danger on on form if he takes to this discipline and his stablemate Fameaftertheglory is no forlorn hope.