15:10 Punchestown

Friday 15 November 2024

All12:1512:5013:2514:0014:3515:1015:45

Connolly's RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 15:10 | Winning time: 5m 9.6s

Derby Rock^t⁵¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Gavin Brouder⁽⁵⁾| T: M F Morris

66/1

Tongue strap on, showed a bit when never-dangerous fifth of 11 in maiden hurdle at Listowel (16f, soft, 80/1) on NH debut 51 days ago. Up in trip. May do better.

Form: 5

Jeel Des Mottes⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: M J Tynan

100/1

Thrice-raced maiden under NH rules. Fourth of 10 in maiden hurdle (50/1) at Clonmel (16.2f, good to soft) 8 days ago. Up in trip.

Form: 6-04

Sounds Victorius¹⁹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| C

2/5

Course bumper winner in February. Fourth in Grade 1 events a the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals in the spring. Likely to be very hard to beat on hurdle debut.

Form: 2144-

The Dancing Tree²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G P Cromwell

5/1

Won on Limerick bumper debut in January. Respectable sixth of 14 in bumper at Cheltenham (16.4f, good) 9 months later. Longer trip should suit now hurdling.

Form: 3/1-6

Committee Meeting²¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Simon Torrens| T: P J Rothwell

66/1

Successful on second of 2 starts in points (Apr 13). The betting should help guide to expectations now hurdling.

Form: 81-

Rockymountainbleu³⁹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Tiernan Power Roche⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Rothwell

40/1

Like stablemate Committee Meeting he has a point background, finishing runner-up in a maiden in October 2023. First run since.

Form: F/72-

The Diddler^t³³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Ricky Doyle| T: P M Quinlan

7/2

Modest hurdler. Creditable third of 9 in maiden at Cork (20.4f, good) 33 days ago, faring best of those held up. Vulnerable to anything with potential.

Form: 600-323

Non-Runners

Ben Purple⁸

Weight: 11-7| Age: 4

T: J P Ryan J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Sounds Victorius (2/5), The Diddler (7/2), The Dancing Tree (5/1), Rockymountainbleu (40/1), Committee Meeting (66/1), Derby Rock (66/1), Jeel Des Mottes (100/1), Ben Purple (100/1)

It's very hard to ignore the claims of smart bumper performer SOUNDS VICTORIUS now hurdling for the Willie Mullins team. What threat there is may come from fellow bumper winner and hurdle newcomer The Dancing Tree.