15:55 Punchestown

Thursday 20 February 2025

All13:2513:5514:2514:5515:2515:5516:2517:00

Kilkea Castle Hotel & Golf Resort Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 15:57 | Winning time: 5m 18.50s

Amber Point¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Jake Coen⁽³⁾| T: G Elliott

40/1

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 17 days ago. Step up in trip could see him in a better light here.

Form: 0

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Cardcounter¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Sam Ewing| T: G Elliott

6/1

£50,000 3-y-o, Milan gelding. Brother to fairly useful hurdle winner/useful chaser Marown, and half-brother to fairly useful hurdler Castle Rushen, stays 3m. Runner-up in a point in October but got no further than fourth on hurdle debut at Naas earlier this month.

Form: 2F

Champagne Kid²⁴

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

4/1

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) 24 days ago. Each-way claims nevertheless.

Form: 52-5134

Dr Eggman³⁰²

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

11/10

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 River³⁶

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

200/1

Twice-raced maiden. 150/1, fifth of 17 in novice hurdle at Clonmel (16.9f, soft) 36 days ago. Low-grade handicaps will be an option after this.

Form: 05

Kasper Blou^t1⁸¹

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

250/1

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

Form: P

Lucky Jack²³

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

150/1

Once-raced maiden. 66/1, fifth of 14 in novice hurdle at Limerick (2m, heavy) on NH debut 23 days ago, merely passing beaten rivals.

Form: 5

Nohilltoosteep⁸⁸

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

200/1

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

Form: 070457

Remind Me Again³⁴

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

200/1

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) 34 days ago. Back down in trip now but handicaps will be more his bag.

Form: 7-05

Seeyouatpuck¹⁷

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

250/1

Well Chosen gelding. 150/1, fifteenth of 22 in novice hurdle at this course (16.2f, soft) on NH debut 17 days ago.

Form: 0

Slieve Annilog³⁵

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

11/1

Winning pointer. Twice-raced maiden under Rules. Fifth of 9 in novice hurdle at Fairyhouse (20f, soft, 25/1) 35 days ago. Debut effort contained definite promise and he's certainly not one to write off.

Form: 84-165

Theanniversary Man⁵⁹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Niall Moore⁽⁵⁾| T: Frank Hayes

125/1

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-

Youlita¹⁰⁰

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

20/1

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

Form: PP-133

Anni Day Now¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Gary Noonan⁽⁵⁾| T: Frank Hayes

150/1

Soldier of Fortune mare. 200/1, twenty first of 22 in novice hurdle at this course (16.2f, soft) on NH debut 17 days ago.

Form: U/5-0

Bitta Romance

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Kieren Buckley| T: T Gibney

125/1

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

Form:

Lucy Wang⁷⁵

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

14/1

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

28/1

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

66/1

€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^h³⁰

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

250/1

Once-raced maiden. Hooded, eleventh of 15 in novice hurdle (125/1) at Down Royal (17.2f, soft) on NH debut 30 days ago.

Form: 0

Are We Dancing¹⁵

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

250/1

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 15 days ago.

Form: 9

Last Kingdom³⁸

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

7/2

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) 38 days ago. Warrants respect.

Form: 147

Forecasts

Dr Eggman (11/10), Last Kingdom (7/2), Champagne Kid (4/1), Cardcounter (6/1), Slieve Annilog (11/1), Lucy Wang (14/1), Youlita (20/1), Presenting Georgie (28/1), Amber Point (40/1), Sarandon (66/1), Theanniversary Man (125/1), Bitta Romance (125/1), Anni Day Now (150/1), Lucky Jack (150/1), Glenmore River (200/1), Remind Me Again (200/1), Nohilltoosteep (200/1), Western Opera (250/1), Seeyouatpuck (250/1), Are We Dancing (250/1), Kasper Blou (250/1)

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. Last Kingdom and Youlita may provide the chief threat.