13:55 Punchestown

Monday 31 December 2018

All12:1512:5013:2013:5514:2515:0015:30

Small Stakes Big Wins With Tote 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 13:55 | Winning time: 3m 59.0s

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Selected odds by:

Art Of America⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: J M Moore| T: N Meade

33/1

77-rated dual winner on the Flat, worth another chance following a first hurdle fall at Leopardstown on Thursday. Yard hold 34% win and place strike rate from 47 runners in the last two weeks.

Form: U

Brisk Tempo^t1²²

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: S G McDermott| T: G P Cromwell

66/1

Nifty 76-rated handicapper on the Flat for trainer Richard Fahey running well in defeat. No impact last month at Cork on hurdles bow, tongue tie added. Worth a market check.

Form: 0

Gardens of Babylon^t²⁵⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: M P Walsh| T: J P O'Brien| BF

7/1

Camelot colt, cost €240,000 as a yearling. One pace and never troubling leaders in two below-par starts on the Flat. Interesting hurdling recruit for powerful connections.

Form:

Lignou⁴⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: S W Flanagan| T: N Meade

25/1

Dual Flat winner in native France. Pronounced 'clinically abnormal' following his 47L defeat behind Got Trumped on hurdling debut at Punchestown last month. Fitness to be taken on trust.

Form: 0

Livingstones Quest^t⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: D F O'Regan| T: G P Cromwell

100/1

One from 13 on the Flat for trainer Rod Millman, possibly needed the education on stable and hurdling debut at Cork this month when pulled up, before disappointing once again at Leopardstown on Thursday. Others preferred.

Form: P0

Messerati Kid⁵⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: P T Enright| T: A Murray

66/1

Tailed off on recent return to action on the Flat at Navan before a 27L defeat on the AW at Dundalk last month. Looks a long-term future.

Form:

Quantatmental¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: R C Colgan| T: G P Cromwell

16/1

New Approach gelding, fair on the Flat winning on three occasions. Promising fourth of 16 on debut in a Fairyhouse maiden hurdle over 2m earlier this month. Likely to improve on that run.

Form: 4

Rathbride Prince¹²²

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: R Loughran| T: P Roche

100/1

By Pour Moi, is a half-brother to three winners, but was a modest 53-rated maiden on the Flat in four starts between April and August. Unlikely to play a part in the finish.

Form:

Rip Rocks Paddy Ok⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: C A Landers⁽⁵⁾| T: A Slattery

66/1

Poor 48-rated Flat handicapper and well beaten in a couple of maiden hurdle starts at Gowran Park and Limerick on St Stephen's Day. Likely to find it tough going here.

Form: 59

Star Max¹⁰⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: J P O'Brien

8/1

Winner on his the final start of his German Flat career. Worth a market check on debut for leading connections.

Form:

Tashman⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: J B Kane⁽⁵⁾| T: G P Cromwell

40/1

69-rated handicapper on the Flat for trainer Dermot Weld without success in seven starts. Beaten 30L on maiden hurdle debut and expected to be a similar story here.

Form: 0

Uncle Noble⁷⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: B Hayes| T: J J Hanlon

100/1

Had three starts at 6f-1m in Meydan early this year for Satish Seemar, beating just a solitary rival. 43L adrift of the winner on hurdling debut here when last seen in October and others preferred.

Form: 0

Utalkintomeboy⁴⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: C D Maxwell| T: T G McCourt

100/1

Little to recommend in three maidens before a number of dismal efforts when sent handicapping on the Flat. Best watched on hurdling debut.

Form:

Way Back Home^t²²

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: J S McGarvey| T: P Roche

5/1

Improving hurdler who has caught the eye at Gowran Park and more recently at Cork. Looks a progressive type and shortlisted here.

Form: U35

Zayriyan¹¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: D G Hogan| T: D Hogan

50/1

Had improved on debut run on the Flat in a couple of promising starts in the spring for trainer Dermot Weld. Any market move on stable debut should be noted.

Form:

Fenta Des Obeaux²⁴⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 10-7| J: Ruby Walsh| T: W P Mullins

13/8

Winner of her sole career start in a French bumper over 1m4f in April. Likely to be popular in the market on debut for leading yard.

Form: 1

Her Approval²²

Age: 3| Weight: 10-7| J: D J Mullins| T: T Mullins

100/1

Disappointing five-race maiden on the Flat and was beaten some way out on hurdling debut at Gowran Park before a similar sorry story at Cork earlier this month. Others make more appeal.

Form: 00

Life On Earth¹¹⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 10-7| J: C P McNamara⁽⁷⁾| T: G P Cromwell

28/1

Useful winner of two of her six starts on turf for trainer William Haggas in the summer. 83-rated handicapper on the Flat and one to note in the betting on hurdling and stable debut.

Form:

Liffeydale Dreamer^h,t²³

Age: 3| Weight: 10-7| J: L P Dempsey| T: Madeleine Tylicki

20/1

Modest 57-rated handicapper on the Flat for trainer Adrian Keatley. Plenty to like about her second of eight on a recent start at Aintree and holds strong place claims here.

Form: 62

Surin⁷²

Age: 3| Weight: 10-7| J: J W Kennedy| T: G Elliott

9/2

German trainer Mario Hofner plundered a Market Rasen bumper in October with this daughter of Authorized before the filly was promptly snapped up by powerful connections. Interesting on hurdling debut.

Form: 1

Thefaithfulindian⁶³

Age: 3| Weight: 10-7| J: S D Torrens⁽⁷⁾| T: A A Howard

100/1

Filly by Frozen Power out of an Elbio mare. Well beaten on sole start on the Flat in October and appears one to appreciate the experience on hurdling debut.

Form:

War Child¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 10-7| J: K J Brouder⁽⁷⁾| T: R O'Sullivan

66/1

Didn't show a lot on the Flat, but offered something to work when making hurdles bow at Gowran Park over 2m last month before unseating at Fairyhouse earlier this month when already beaten. Looks opposable.

Form: 7U

Non-Runners

First One D'Ana⁴

Weight: 11-0| Age: 3

T: S Doyle J: Reserve 1

Flying Mary³⁷

Weight: 10-7| Age: 3

T: M Brassil J: Reserve 2

Forecasts

Fenta Des Obeaux (13/8), Surin (9/2), Way Back Home (5/1), Gardens of Babylon (7/1), Star Max (8/1), Quantatmental (16/1), Liffeydale Dreamer (20/1), Lignou (25/1), Life On Earth (28/1), Art Of America (33/1), Flying Mary (33/1), Tashman (40/1), Zayriyan (50/1), Rip Rocks Paddy Ok (66/1), War Child (66/1), Messerati Kid (66/1), Brisk Tempo (66/1), First One D'Ana (66/1), Utalkintomeboy (100/1), Livingstones Quest (100/1), Rathbride Prince (100/1), Her Approval (100/1), Thefaithfulindian (100/1), Uncle Noble (100/1)

It will be hard to ignore the chances of French-import FENTA DES OBEAUX under jockey Ruby Walsh on hurdling debut for trainer Willie Mullins. The three-year-old can be expected to be well schooled and can fight off the attentions of the J P McManus-owned Gardens Of Babylon and the Gigginstown House Stud newcomer Surin. Star Max on racecourse debut and potential improver, Way Back Home are worthy of consideration.