16:10 Punchestown

Sunday 16 February 2025

All14:1014:4015:1015:4016:1016:4017:10

Kilkea Castle Hotel & Golf Resort Maiden Hurdle

4YO plus | 2m 3f 30y | Yielding to Soft (Soft in places) | 23 Runners | Turf

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Jordan Gainford| T: G Elliott

Doyen gelding. Bred to stay well and was no threat from 3 out when thirteenth of 22 in novice hurdle at this course (16.2f, soft) on NH debut 13 days ago. Step up in trip could see him in a better light here.

Form: 0

Be Positive³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Conor Stone-Walsh⁽⁵⁾| T: S Neville

Once-raced maiden. Seventh of 9 in novice hurdle (100/1) at Fairyhouse (20f, soft) on NH debut 31 days ago. Likely longer-term project.

Form: 4/P-F47

Champagne Kid²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Patrick M O'Brien⁽⁷⁾| T: P E Collins

Lightly-raced winner under NH rules. Failed to match hurdles debut form when fourth of 5 in novice hurdle at this course (19.2f, heavy, 16/1) 20 days ago. Each-way claims nevertheless.

Form: 52-5134

Dr Eggman²⁹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 123| BF

Fairly useful hurdler. 4/7, below form third of 6 in novice hurdle at Perth (20.2f, soft), finding less than looked likely. Off 9 months. Stable in good form. Sets a high standard.

Form: 132243-

Glenmore River³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: R P Treacy| T: S Curling

Twice-raced maiden. 150/1, fifth of 17 in novice hurdle at Clonmel (16.9f, soft) 32 days ago. Low-grade handicaps will be an option after this.

Form: 05

Hello Jack³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Danny Gilligan| T: G Elliott

Promising sort. Third of 13 in novice hurdle (4/1) at Fairyhouse (16.2f, soft) 31 days ago. Stable in good form. Should improve.

Form: 33

Kasper Blou^t1⁷⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: H Morgan| T: E Doyle

€15,000 3-y-o, Stormy River gelding. Dam unraced. Wears tongue strap. Pulled up sole start between the flags.

Form: P

Lucky Jack¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: J Smith⁽⁵⁾| T: Ian Donoghue

Once-raced maiden. 66/1, fifth of 14 in novice hurdle at Limerick (2m, heavy) on NH debut 19 days ago, merely passing beaten rivals.

Form: 5

Nohilltoosteep⁸⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Mike O'Connor| T: J Barcoe

Offered little in 6 bumper starts to date. Passed over on hurdles bow.

Form: 070457

Pookie Holler⁶²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead

Promising type. Eighth of 18 in novice hurdle at Naas (19.5f, good to soft, 20/1) on NH debut 62 days ago. Should progress.

Form: 38

Remind Me Again³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: John Shinnick⁽⁵⁾| T: David Barry

Unplaced sole start in points (Apr 2024) but did shape better than distance beaten suggests on second hurdles start when fifth of 11 in novice hurdle at Cork (24f, soft) 30 days ago. Back down in trip now but handicaps will be more his bag.

Form: 7-05

Seeyouatpuck¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Gavin Brouder⁽³⁾| T: P McCreery

Well Chosen gelding. 150/1, fifteenth of 22 in novice hurdle at this course (16.2f, soft) on NH debut 13 days ago.

Form: 0

Slieve Annilog³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: O R Brown⁽⁵⁾| T: R Dunne

Winning pointer. Twice-raced maiden under Rules. Fifth of 9 in novice hurdle at Fairyhouse (20f, soft, 25/1) 31 days ago. Debut effort contained definite promise and he's certainly not one to write off.

Form: 84-165

Theanniversary Man⁵⁹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Niall Moore⁽⁷⁾| T: Frank Hayes

Thrice-raced maiden under NH rules. 40/1, fifth of 14 in bumper at Tipperary (16f, good to soft). Off 19 months. Switches from bumpers to hurdles.

Form: 055-

Youlita⁹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Philip Byrnes| T: C Byrnes

Lightly-raced winner in points. Once-raced maiden under Rules. 14/1, third of 7 in bumper at Fairyhouse (16f, good) on NH debut 96 days ago. Up in trip for this hurdles/yard debut and market confidence behind him would look significant.

Form: PP-133

Anni Day Now¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: E Walsh| T: Frank Hayes

Soldier of Fortune mare. 200/1, twenty first of 22 in novice hurdle at this course (16.2f, soft) on NH debut 13 days ago.

Form: U/5-0

Lucy Wang⁷¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Phillip Enright| T: J Halley| OR: 110

Fair form when second on yard debut in a Leopardstown juvenile last winter. However, not built on that since, well below that level when tenth of 16 in maiden hurdle at Navan (2m) in December.

Form: P2S0-50

Presenting Georgie

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Kevin Sexton| T: G Elliott

Order of St George mare. Dam unraced half-sister to useful hurdler/fairly useful chaser (stayed 3m) Top Strategy. Trainer going well.

Form:

Sarandon^t1

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: L A McKenna⁽⁵⁾| T: Colm Murphy

€16,000 3-y-o, Sholokhov mare. Dam, unplaced sole start in points, half-sister to smart bumper winner/fairly useful 23f hurdle winner Snow Tern and fair hurdler/fairly useful chaser (stayed 27f) American Legend. Wears tongue strap.

Form:

Western Opera^h²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Ricky Doyle| T: G O'Loughlin

Once-raced maiden. Hooded, eleventh of 15 in novice hurdle (125/1) at Down Royal (17.2f, soft) on NH debut 26 days ago.

Form: 0

Are We Dancing¹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Caragh Monaghan⁽⁷⁾| T: L Lennon

Feel Like Dancing gelding. Raced off the pace and never a threat when ninth of 13 in juvenile hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, soft, 200/1) on NH debut 11 days ago.

Form: 9

Last Kingdom³⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Mark Walsh| T: W P Mullins

Successful only start in bumpers in France. Some promise in 2 starts for new stable, seventh of 14 in juvenile hurdle at this course (16.4f, soft, 11/4) 34 days ago. Not ruled out for each-way purposes

Form: 147

Bitta Romance

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Reserve 1| T: T Gibney

Mount Nelson mare. Dam unraced half-sister to fairly useful hurdler (stays 3¼m) Doitforjane Sid. Reserve.

Form:

Forecasts

Dr Eggman (11/8), Last Kingdom (4/1), Slieve Annilog (6/1), Youlita (7/1), Hello Jack (8/1), Presenting Georgie (12/1), Sarandon (14/1), Amber Point (16/1), Lucy Wang (16/1), Pookie Holler (16/1), Champagne Kid (16/1), Theanniversary Man (25/1), Bitta Romance (33/1), Be Positive (50/1), Remind Me Again (66/1), Seeyouatpuck (66/1), Kasper Blou (66/1), Lucky Jack (66/1), Glenmore River (100/1), Are We Dancing (100/1), Western Opera (100/1), Anni Day Now (150/1), Nohilltoosteep (150/1)

Bumper winner DR EGGMAN became expensive to follow over hurdles last season but this looks an excellent opportunity for Willie Mullins' 7-y-o, and he's fancied to come out on top after 9 months off. Hello Jack, Last Kingdom and Youlita are others to consider. Pookie Holler is another expected to do better.