14:45 Punchestown

Saturday 14 January 2017

All12:2513:0013:3514:1014:4515:2015:50

David Trundley Artist At Punchestown Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 14:45 | Winning time: 4m 10.5s

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Selected odds by:

Agent Boru⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: J M Moore| T: T Gibney

20/1

Bit disappointing in a Limerick maiden hurdle last month, well fancied and arriving to challenge before fading quickly.

Form: 227342-

Autumn Showers³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Rachael Blackmore⁽⁵⁾| T: W J Burke

28/1

Fair record in bumpers but put in his place both runs in maiden hurdles thus far.

Form: 0-32377

Din Diddle Inn⁹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: M J Bolger| T: Mrs J Harrington

100/1

Didn't show much in two bumper runs and then didn't get beyond the first in jumping bow at Fairyhouse in October, needs to settle quicker.

Form: 0-7F

Excelli¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: B M Cash| T: A A Howard

100/1

Not a bad performer on the Flat and far from disgraced when 50/1 in warm Leopardstown maiden hurdle over Christmas.

Form: /-

Gunnery Sergeant^h¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade

13/8

Came on from returning effort when second at Limerick over Christmas in heavy ground maiden hurdle. That form makes him standout here.

Form: 1/1F3-7

Harvey Wallbanger¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: M A Enright| T: J F Robinson

100/1

Didn't jump brilliantly at Leopardstown over Christmas, uncompetitive there (behind Excelli) and this a tough task.

Form: 0-

Kolumbus¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Ruby Walsh| T: W P Mullins

5/4

Fell early at Cork on hurdles bow, good effort since to chase home promising stablemate at Leopardstown over Christmas, form that puts him in the mix for this.

Form: 0/41-F

Mistiness³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: C D Maxwell| T: K H Clarke

100/1

Modest type on the Flat and scarcely finished in the same parish as some of his rivals at Clonmel last month on hurdles bow when 100/1 chance.

Form: /-

Robin Des Mana¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott

7/1

Best effort over hurdles came here in October when under-a-length third of 18. Has been disappointing since however but still respected.

Form: 147346

Tyrrell's Succes⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Paul Townend| T: A Stronge

66/1

Ran in 30-runner maiden hurdle at Navan in November making some progress from the rear to finish 12th.

Form: 700851

Arctic Light¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: D J Mullins| T: T Mullins

20/1

Three bumper runs to set him up for this jumping debut, one of which was a win around this track.

Form: 256009-

Bulls Head¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: P D Kennedy⁽³⁾| T: E Stanners

40/1

Back off a significant break when 22-length fifth of 16 runners at Limerick late last month.

Form: P/35709-

Cresus De Grissay¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: M P Fogarty| T: P Nolan

100/1

Promising start over hurdles at Wexford in October but failed to build on that at Leopardstown 17 days ago.

Form: 5/3900-

King Of Country¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: L P Dempsey| T: M Halford

66/1

Gelding was beaten the best part of 50-lengths on return from 560-day break at Leopardstown on December 26, at least has that run behind him now.

Form:

Koybig⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: B Browne⁽⁷⁾| T: W Ross

100/1

Former winner on the AW at Dundalk, has been running ok at that venue last month ahead of this career change.

Form:

Westland Row⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G Elliott

20/1

Finished seventh in big-field maiden hurdle at Naas last weekend, needs to build on that significantly to get involved here.

Form: 60709-1

Young Bidder¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: R M Power| T: Mrs J Harrington

66/1

Didn't show much on bumper debut at Leopardstown recently and has plenty on his plate now ahead of hurdles bow.

Form:

Clonearl⁶³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: J J Slevin⁽⁵⁾| T: M Fahey

100/1

Modest form in two bumper runs either side of a 206-day layoff last year, makes hurdles debut here.

Form: 00

Get It Back³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: D E Mullins| T: J Fogarty

100/1

Beaten 75-lengths at Tramore last month on first start over flights.

Form: 700F69-

Like An Open Book⁷⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: M P Burke⁽⁷⁾| T: J M Burke

66/1

Mare has shown some degree of promise in two bumper runs this season but not instantly jumping out as a contender for hurdles debut.

Form: 4490-

Nancys Icon¹²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: R P Treacy⁽⁵⁾| T: P Neville

100/1

Faded tamely and pulled up in sole start to date in two-mile maiden hurdle at Listowel in September.

Form: P0900-P

Non-Runners

Snugsborough Benny⁶

Weight: 11-12| Age: 7

T: L P Cusack J: D F O'Regan

Antonio Joli¹⁵⁹

Weight: 11-10| Age: 5

T: J J Hanlon J: Reserve 1

Whitango¹⁷

Weight: 11-10| Age: 5

T: P Nolan J: Reserve 2

Bench Marker¹³

Weight: 11-10| Age: 5

T: P Nolan J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Kolumbus (5/4), Gunnery Sergeant (13/8), Robin Des Mana (7/1), Antonio Joli (12/1), Agent Boru (20/1), Arctic Light (20/1), Westland Row (20/1), Autumn Showers (28/1), Snugsborough Benny (33/1), Bulls Head (40/1), Bench Marker (50/1), Whitango (50/1), Young Bidder (66/1), Like An Open Book (66/1), Tyrrell's Succes (66/1), King Of Country (66/1), Excelli (100/1), Nancys Icon (100/1), Cresus De Grissay (100/1), Clonearl (100/1), Din Diddle Inn (100/1), Mistiness (100/1), Koybig (100/1), Harvey Wallbanger (100/1), Get It Back (100/1)

A big field for this contest but, in truth, few have obvious claims for success and the market is likely to be dominated by KOLUMBUS and Gunnery Sergeant. The former was runner-up behind stablemate Bacardys at Leopardstown over Christmas, with the third horse home going on to score readily at Naas last Sunday. That form looks rock solid thus and he can score here for his leading jockey/trainer combination. Gunnery Sergeant also found just one too strong at Limerick but that was a step forward on his debut effort and he should go well for an in-form yard here. They look the outstanding candidates in this, with a chance taken that Cresus De Grissay could grab a place if reproducing his debut Wexford effort here. 1. Kolumbus 2. Gunnery Sergeant 3. Cresus De Grissay