15:40 Punchestown

Thursday 1 May 2025

All14:3015:0515:4016:1516:5017:2518:0018:35

Mongey Communications La Touche Cup Cross Country Chase

Off time: 15:40 | Winning time: 9m 17.40s

Read To Return^t⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr D O'Connor| T: A J Martin| OR: 113

18/1

Fair chaser. 15/2, career best when winning 12-runner handicap chase at Fairyhouse (21f, soft) 9 days ago, suited by way race developed. This demands plenty more though.

Form: 3584U1

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Vanillier^b,t²⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 143| C

3/1

Course winner. Latest win in chase here in February. Below form fourteenth of 34 in Grand National at Aintree (34.3f, good) 26 days ago. This smart chaser is the sort to bounce back.

Form: P69130

Benny The Duke²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr F P Murphy⁽⁷⁾| T: Mark J Scallan

125/1

25/1, sixth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Sligo (25.7f, good). Off 9 months. Switches from hurdles to chase. Up in trip. First run for yard after leaving R. P. Cody.

Form: 5639PU

Busselton^p⁵⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: J J Slevin| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 136| C

7/1

Useful hurdler/chaser. Course winner. Thirteen runs since last win in 2022. Pulled up in handicap chase at Cheltenham (29.2f, good to soft, 7/1) 50 days ago. Cheekpieces back on.

Form: -0664P

Desertmore House^t¹⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: Ricky Doyle| T: M Brassil| OR: 140

9/1

Useful chaser. 80/1, pulled up in handicap chase at Fairyhouse (29.2f, soft) 10 days ago, struggling when pulled up 4 out. Needs to get back on track.

Form: P4300P

Empire Soldier⁵³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr J L Scallan⁽⁷⁾| T: D P Murphy

33/1

€105,000 3-y-o, Walk In The Park gelding. Maiden pointer, unplaced last time (Mar 9). Others appeal more.

Form: -53P38

Peaches And Cream³²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: Conor Stone-Walsh⁽³⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 118| C

22/1

Fairly useful chaser. Course winner. Fifteen runs since last win in 2022. Creditable fifth of 15 in handicap chase (9/2) at Downpatrick (28.6f, good to soft) 32 days ago. Possibilities.

Form: P3P075

Stealthy Tom^b²⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: Simon Torrens| T: E Bolger| OR: 140| BF| C

10/3

Useful chaser. Course winner. Eighth of 12 in handicap hurdle (16/5) at Ballinrobe (21.5f, good) 20 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase and not ruled out with blinkers also back on.

Form: 003238

Subset^p⁵³

Age: 11| Weight: 11-7| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: P Maher| OR: 78| C

66/1

Fair chaser. Course winner. 80/1, last of 15 in handicap hurdle at Tramore (21f, good to soft) 8 months ago. Switches from hurdles to chasing with work to do.

Form: P-0PP5

The Goffer^t²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Danny Gilligan| T: G Elliott| OR: 135| C

7/2

On a losing run but this smart chaser has shaped well on his last two starts, running on well late when third of 30 in Topham Handicap at Aintree (21.1f, good) 27 days ago. Player back over this much longer trip.

Form: P77543

Vital Island^t⁵³

Age: 13| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr B T Stone⁽⁷⁾| T: R P O'Keeffe| OR: 127| C

12/1

Fairly useful chaser who took this in 2023. Pulled up over C&D 12 months ago but a recent winner in points so must enter calculations.

Form: PP-3P1

Three By Two⁸⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: R Deegan| T: D P Murphy| OR: 95| C

11/1

Fairly useful chaser. Course winner. Respectable sixth of 15 to Vanillier in minor event chase at this course (24.9f, soft, 9/1) 87 days ago. No forlorn hope.

Form: 016256

Non-Runners

Fralimonti Bilbery²

Weight: 11-7| Age: 7

T: D P Murphy J: Mr J W Hendrick

Iriko D'airy²

Weight: 11-7| Age: 7

T: D P Murphy J: Mr S Cotter

Jet Fighter²

Weight: 11-7| Age: 8

T: P Maher J: Donagh Meyler

Transprint²

Weight: 11-12| Age: 9

T: R P O'Keeffe J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Vanillier (3/1), Stealthy Tom (10/3), The Goffer (7/2), Busselton (7/1), Desertmore House (9/1), Three By Two (11/1), Vital Island (12/1), Transprint (14/1), Read To Return (18/1), Peaches And Cream (22/1), Fralimonti Bilbery (25/1), Empire Soldier (33/1), Subset (66/1), Iriko D'airy (100/1), Benny The Duke (125/1), Jet Fighter (200/1)

THE GOFFER rates the pick at these weights and can build on earlier promise to end a losing sequence now returned to a more suitable trip. Vanillier wasn't at his best in the Grand National last time but could still emerge as the main danger ahead of Stealthy Tom and Three By Two.