16:20 Punchestown

Friday 28 April 2017

All15:4016:2016:5517:3018:0518:4019:1019:45

EMS Copiers Novice Handicap Chase (Grade A)

Off time: 16:22 | Winning time: 5m 30.2s

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Selected odds by:

Diamond King^t⁴³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 146

8/1

Successful at Galway in October but well beaten in three outings since including when favourite at Cheltenham last month. Strong chance if able to put that poor latest effort behind him.

Form: 4154PP-

Le Prezien^t⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: M P Walsh| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 145

7/1

Beaten 12L when sent off favourite for a Grade 3 handicap at Cheltenham last month. Previously finished third in a Grade 1 event over 2m4f at Sandown in February and this step up in trip looks likely to suit.

Form: 2-21138

Balko Des Flos⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: B J Cooper| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 143

7/1

Winner at Fairyhouse over an extended 2m5f in January. Best effort since came when third to Disko in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown in February and still in front when falling at Cheltenham latest.

Form: 72133F

Woodland Opera^t²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: R M Power| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 142

11/4

Successful at the fourth time of asking over fences last time out in a 2m1f contest at Fairyhouse (soft-to-heavy). Step up in trip should suit (won over 2m4f as a hurdler) and an interesting runner here.

Form: 154311-

Blackmail^h,t¹¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: D F O'Regan| T: A J Martin| OR: 141

33/1

Plenty of promise as a youngster but career has been beset by injury. Fell relatively early on at Fairyhouse in February and well beaten back over hurdles at the same track earlier this month. Worth a check in the market on handicap debut.

Form: 40/75F4

Arbre De Vie¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Ruby Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 140

6/1

Failed to complete in long distance chases the last twice. Form prior to that was decent despite suffering two odds-on defeats and likely to run well with the ground and trip to suit here.

Form: 022UB2-

Last Goodbye⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Sean Flanagan| T: Miss E Doyle| OR: 137

8/1

Successful in a beginners event over 2m4f at Down Royal (soft) in December prior to finishing fifth in a competitive handicap at Cheltenham last month. A repeat of that effort should see him run well in this.

Form: 1-02615

Three Wise Men²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: D E Mullins| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 137

12/1

Beaten 10L by the useful Min over 2m1f at Navan in November on yielding to soft ground and ran well on his handicap debut when third at Limerick last month. Upped 2lb for that effort and tackles 2m5f for the first time here.

Form: 635230-

Mystical Knight^t⁶²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: J S McGarvey| T: Miss R Curtis| OR: 136

33/1

Victorious over 3m1f at Hereford (soft) when wearing a tongue tie for the first time in December. Disappointed twice since including when third at Chepstow last time out. Drops back in trip today.

Form: 21P-1P3

Dicosimo^h³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 135

14/1

Off the mark at the sixth time of asking over fences when winning a 2m6f event at Thurles (yielding-to-soft) a month ago. Rated 10lb higher over hurdles and an interesting runner on his handicap debut here.

Form: P22F10-

Relentless Dreamer^p,t²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: D J Mullins| T: Miss R Curtis| OR: 134

28/1

Successful three times over fences including at Taunton over 2m7f (good) in November. Well beaten on his last three starts however and needs to bounce back in this.

Form: 12167P

Champagne Harmony²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Jack Kennedy| T: S J Mahon| OR: 133

14/1

Won a beginners chase over 2m4f at Navan (heavy) at the start of the month to record his first victory in three chase starts. Makes his handicap debut here and has a top jockey booked to ride.

Form: 427415-

On Fiddlers Green²⁰¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: A E Lynch| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 130

33/1

Successful over an extended 2m6f in a handicap chase at Galway (good) on his penultimate outing last July. Unraced since suffering a heavy defeat when favourite for Limerick's Munster National in October but an interesting runner in this.

Form: 4-41210

Kilcarry Bridge^t⁴⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 10-6| J: Donagh Meyler⁽³⁾| T: J P Ryan| OR: 128

25/1

Winner of a 2m2f handicap chase at Gowran Park (heavy) last month and ran well to finish runner-up upped to 3m at Navan eight days later. Races off a 2lb higher mark in what looks a tougher race here.

Form: 457212

Bright Tomorrow¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-3| J: M J Bolger| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 123

25/1

Gained his first success over fences when winning a novice chase over 2m4f at Down Royal (yielding-to-soft) last month. Pulled up at Fairyhouse over an extended 3m subsequently and interesting despite being out of the handicap here.

Form: 76P1PF-

Non-Runners

Lip Service¹²

Weight: 10-3| Age: 8

T: A J Martin J: L P Dempsey

Forecasts

Woodland Opera (11/4), Arbre De Vie (6/1), Balko Des Flos (7/1), Le Prezien (7/1), Last Goodbye (8/1), Diamond King (8/1), Three Wise Men (12/1), Champagne Harmony (14/1), Dicosimo (14/1), Kilcarry Bridge (25/1), Lip Service (25/1), Bright Tomorrow (25/1), Relentless Dreamer (28/1), Mystical Knight (33/1), On Fiddlers Green (33/1), Blackmail (33/1)

WOODLAND OPERA was successful over fences when odds-on favourite at Fairyhouse earlier this month. The selection hails from a yard who have already been in the winners enclosure this week and have won this race four times in the past. Le Prezien who should appreciate this step up in trip having run over an extended 2m last time out with Diamond King and On Fiddlers Green others to note in a competitive contest.