16:20 Punchestown

Friday 27 April 2018

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

EMS Copiers Novice Handicap Chase (Grade A)

Off time: 16:22 | Winning time: 5m 41.0s

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Selected odds by:

Kemboy¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 147| D

11/4

Gained a valuable confidence booster when winning well at Limerick earlier this month (3m Grade 3, heavy). Far from disgraced in the JLT at Cheltenham (fourth) on his last completed start prior to that success.

Form: 7-214F1

Koshari²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: W P Mullins| OR: 147| C

11/1

Lacked the experience for Grade 1 company at Leopardstown in February (pulled up), but back on track with victory after surviving a scare at the last at Clonmel recently (2m4f heavy).

Form: 14-12P1

Up For Review²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: D J Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 147| C

13/2

Justified short odds when scoring by 15L on his second ever chasing start at Gowran Park early last month (2m4f heavy), but beaten by classier stablemate Al Boum Photo in a Fairyhouse Grade 1 latest.

Form: 4P1/214

Tombstone^t¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 145

14/1

No match for Kemboy (beaten 8L) in a 3m Limerick Grade 3 contest earlier this month, but re-opposes on 8lb better terms in handicap company. Drop in trip should also suit.

Form: 126362

Montalbano^h²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: R Deegan| T: W P Mullins| OR: 143| C

25/1

Poor completion record over fences, having either fallen or unseated in three of his five starts over the larger obstacles. Did manage to stay upright in order to take a Gowran Park Beginners Chase by 3½L from De Plotting Shed in January.

Form: 1-FU1U7

De Plotting Shed^t¹⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 142| BF

16/1

Now nought from six over fences, but has frustratingly finished runner-up on four of those starts, including behind Montalbano at Gowran Park in January. Fine over this longer trip as a hurdler.

Form: 222P22

Conrad Hastings⁴⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: N D Fehily| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 141

25/1

Seemingly a better chaser than a hurdler, but has had a relatively light campaign since his pair of victories in the summer months (Kilbeggan and Killarney). Never involved (66/1) in the Close Brothers' at Cheltenham latest.

Form: 11250P

The West's Awake²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: A E Lynch| T: E J O'Grady| OR: 139| C

16/1

Arrives as a fresh horse having made just the single start since Christmas, when sixth to Bel Ami De Sivola at Fairyhouse recently (2m+ soft to heavy). Form strongly franked since by Crosshue Boy (third) and Patricks Park (fifth). Course winner.

Form: 113156

Squouateur^t²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: B J Geraghty| T: G Elliott| OR: 138

10/1

Brought down at the fifth in the Irish National earlier this month, which was disappointing for connections after his solid 5½L third to Missed Approach in the 3m2f Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival previously. Contender.

Form: U-6303B

Bel Ami De Sivola²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade| OR: 136| C

8/1

Given an 8lb rise for his recent Fairyhouse success (2m+ soft), but that form has been well advertised since by subsequent winners Crosshue Boy (Ayr) and Patricks Park (here). Stays 2m4f.

Form: 534281

A Rated¹⁹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: D Robinson⁽⁵⁾| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 135

20/1

Started off well over fences, winning twice for Liam Kenny in the late summer of 2017 (2m-2m4f). Possibly needs decent underfoot conditions, and that might explain his subsequent extended absence. Debut for new yard.

Form: 43-U114

Pylonthepressure¹²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: D E Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 135| BF

20/1

Dropped out tamely after a bad mistake mid-race at Tramore latest, and fencing is often his achilles heel. Had a tough race at Cheltenham when finishing in excess of 30L fifth to Rathvinden (4m NH Chase).

Form: 21-415P

A Sizing Network¹⁷³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-10| J: R M Power| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 133| C

14/1

Rock-solid front runner who was in rude health last summer with back-to-back Clonmel (3m) and Punchestown (2m6f+) victories to show for some consistent earlier placed efforts. Up the weights; 9lb higher, and off since being pulled up in November.

Form: 22211P

Ask Nile²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: Brian Hayes| T: S Neville| OR: 131

25/1

Not far behind a couple of these rivals at Fairyhouse latest (seventh), and that form has worked out very well since. Not fully exposed in handicap company, but marginal improvement is required.

Form: 332887

Scoir Mear⁴⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: Mark Walsh| T: T Mullins| OR: 131

10/1

Stayed well over hurdles (2m5f+ winner), but those timber victories came in much less competitive races than today's (rated 101 and 113). Not won in six starts over fences with his best chasing effort coming over 2m at Gowran Park in February.

Form: 89452P

Close Shave²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: J S McGarvey| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 130

33/1

Pulled up on his last two starts, but in his defence those races were competitive affairs; including the 2m7f Leinster Grand National (Gowran Park). Place prospects on the strength of his earlier 2m4f Naas second to Wishmoor (now 2lb higher).

Form: 1312PP

Surf Instructor⁸⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-4| J: Phillip Enright| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 127

50/1

Limerick novice chase winner in December 2017 (2m2f heavy) and did okay behind Wishmoor when upped in trip at Naas next time. Unexposed as such in handicap company, but this looks a tough assignment.

Form: 166-414

Bravissimo^t1⁸⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-3| J: Katie O'Farrell⁽⁷⁾| T: W P Mullins| OR: 126

16/1

Still a maiden over fences and his trainer reaches for the first-time tongue-tie. Thrown in at the deep end on his first start in a handicap, and looks to be making up the numbers as part of his trainers title bid.

Form: 6-34243

Non-Runners

Exactoris¹³¹

Weight: 10-3| Age: 7

T: J P O'Brien J: L P Dempsey

Forecasts

Kemboy (11/4), Up For Review (13/2), Bel Ami De Sivola (8/1), Scoir Mear (10/1), Squouateur (10/1), Koshari (11/1), A Sizing Network (14/1), Tombstone (14/1), Bravissimo (16/1), The West's Awake (16/1), De Plotting Shed (16/1), A Rated (20/1), Pylonthepressure (20/1), Montalbano (25/1), Ask Nile (25/1), Conrad Hastings (25/1), Exactoris (25/1), Close Shave (33/1), Surf Instructor (50/1)

A devilishly difficult novices handicap chase in which perhaps the only thing that is certain is that the returning A Sizing Network will be the early pace angle. Kemboy is the choice of Paul Townend, and he should once more have the measure of Tombstone despite a turnaround at the weights, whilst Kim Muir third Squouateur is unsurprisingly the choice of Barry Geraghty from the JP McManus owned runners. The form-line to concentrate upon involves Bel Ami De Sivola, THE WEST'S AWAKE and Ask Nile. That recent Fairyhouse contest has already been well advertised, so we'll take a chance that the O'Grady trained horse (sixth) strips fitter today.