16:50 Punchestown

Saturday 3 May 2025

All14:3015:0515:4216:1516:5017:2518:0018:35

Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle (Grade 1)

Off time: 16:51 | Winning time: 3m 49.60s

Blue Lemons¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 137| D

16/1

Useful 7f/1m performer on Flat for Richard Hannon and looked a good prospect for his new handler when ready winner of juvenile hurdle at Gowran Park in February. Flopped in the Triumph but showed himself to be a useful performer when landing Grade 2 at Fairyhouse (16.1f) 12 days ago. More to come.

Form: 1P1

Ephesus^p,t¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Daniel King| T: D Hogan| OR: 124

100/1

Fairly useful Flat winner who opened his hurdles account at the fourth attempt when making all in a 17f Limerick maiden in April. Found out in stronger company at Fairyhouse since and this is even tougher still.

Form: 32314

Hello Neighbour^h⁵⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 145| D

13/2

A useful Flat winner who has taken extremely well to hurdling, landing Leopardstown Grade 2 on his debut before following up (hooded) in Spring Juvenile Hurdle. Lost his unbeaten record in the Triumph Hurdle but still shaped pretty well, a late mistake and uphill run to the line finding him out.

Form: 116

Larzac^t⁵⁰

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

50/1

Showed fairly useful form when second on his only outing in France for J. Boisnard but didn't get competitive at all in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham. Remains with potential but will probably benefit from a return to calmer waters.

Form: 20

Legionnaire Forez⁸⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Danny Gilligan| T: W P Mullins| BF

150/1

Second in a French bumper for M. Seror but proved a major disappointment switched to hurdling when only sixth of 13 in juvenile hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, soft) on in February, finding nothing. Clearly though capable of much better but this is a very stiff task.

Form: 26

Lulamba⁵⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: J Bowen| T: N J Henderson| OR: 148| D

11/10

Debut scorer at Auteuil and again looked a fine prospect for his new connections when impressively landing an Ascot juvenile in January. Enhanced an already lofty reputation when an excellent second to Poniros in the Triumph Hurdle and remains an exciting prospect.

Form: 112

Poniros⁵⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins

7/2

A useful handicapper on Flat (stays 1½m) for Ralph Beckett. Changed hands for 200,000 gns in October and caused the biggest shock in the history of the Triumph Hurdle when running out a 100/1 winner in March, finding plenty to lead close home. Should progress and it's unlikely that was a one-off.

Form: 1

Sony Bill^t⁵³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: W P Mullins| OR: 134| D

66/1

Useful hurdler but underperformed when down the field in Fred Winter at Cheltenham (16.4f, good to soft, 7/1) on most recent outing and is hard to fancy in this grade.

Form: -F2350

Too Bossy For Us⁵⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: H Cobden| T: W P Mullins

10/1

A useful 10f scorer on Flat (stays 1¾m) for Kevin Philippart de Foy. Changed hands for 330,000 gns in the autumn and made an encouraging hurdling debut pitched in the deep end when seventh of 17 to Poniros in Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham (16.8f), not knocked about. Likely to improve.

Form: 7

Lumiere Du Large^t⁵⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Kevin Sexton| T: W P Mullins

125/1

Made a winning debut in 13f minor event on Flat in October before posting a fairly useful effort on hurdling bow when second in newcomers race at Pau (17f) in December. Stiff task when well held in Triumph Hurdle on first start for the yard at Cheltenham in March and this isn't any easier.

Form: 20

Murcia^t³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: W P Mullins| OR: 141

13/2

Signed off in France with a win in a listed event and much better effort on second start for current yard when just failing at Naas (15.7f) in February. Finished a respectable eighth in Fred Winter before improving to win Grade 1 at Aintree (17f, good). Likely to give another good account.

Form: 318281

Sainte Lucie^h¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Brian Hayes| T: W P Mullins| OR: 128| BF| CD

50/1

French recruit who made impressive winning stable debut at Punchestown in December. Hasn't built on that effort since, though.

Form: 3-1885

Forecasts

Lulamba (11/10), Poniros (7/2), Hello Neighbour (13/2), Murcia (13/2), Too Bossy For Us (10/1), Blue Lemons (16/1), Larzac (50/1), Sainte Lucie (50/1), Sony Bill (66/1), Ephesus (100/1), Lumiere Du Large (125/1), Legionnaire Forez (150/1)

LULAMBA came off second best to Poniros in the Triumph Hurdle, but there's a strong argument to say he shaped the better of the pair having always been in the firing line in a well-run race, so he's very much fancied to reverse the form and come out on top. Poniros did well to overcome inexperience all the same and seems likely to progress, with Murcia and Hello Neighbour taken to battle it out for minor honours.