18:05 Punchestown

Thursday 2 May 2019

All15:4016:1516:5017:3018:0518:4019:1519:45

Conway Piling Handicap Hurdle (Grade B)

Off time: 18:06 | Winning time: 6m 4.7s

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Selected odds by:

Three Musketeers^p²⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 138

8/1

Ex-Dan Skelton runner, stable bow for this handler whne reverting to hurdles and winning 2m4f Aintree handicap on soft last month, going away at the line. 6lb higher, not certain to want every inch of 3m.

Form: 20-7381

Chateau Conti^p1²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Donagh Meyler| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 137

66/1

Achieve a high-enough rating when trained by Willie Mullins for what he managed. Has not managed to impress in variety of disciplines since joining this trainer and remains opposable.

Form: 3UF4FP

Cuneo⁴⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 136| D

7/1

Still looks a bit rough around the edges at times but Leopardstown winner over this trip in February and fine effort (fourth) in Pertemps Final at Cheltenham since. Perfectly entitled to be in the firing line here.

Form: 1-D5154

Smoking Gun⁵⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: S A Shortall| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 136

8/1

4-5 over hurdles this term, latest over 2m6½f at Thurles (good to yielding) in early March, getting up close home despite an odd jumping error. Capable of better things but Rachel Blackmore has seemingly deserted him for Cuneo.

Form: 9/11411-

Getareason⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Brian Hayes| T: W P Mullins| OR: 135

20/1

Consistent sort in top-level novice contests in Ireland this season over various trips without winning. Well found out in Martin Pipe at Cheltenham in March but worth a crack over 3m and has shaped as if he'll stay.

Form: 442370

Air Horse One^p1,t1⁴⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: J J Burke| T: H Fry| OR: 132

25/1

Plenty of ability but has been a tad inconsistent lately. Array of headgear tried as he tackles this 3m trip for the first time with positive jockey booking for UK raider. Watch betting.

Form: P-7026P

Ben Button⁵⁷⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: B J Cooper| T: W P Mullins| OR: 132| BF| D

25/1

Improved to win three times over hurdles in autumn of 2017 after joining this master-trainer. Will need to defy an absence of 581-days to get back on track now.

Form: 4/21114-

Kilfenora¹¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: J S McGarvey| T: E P Harty| OR: 132| BF| CD

28/1

C&D winner early year on soft ground from 5lb lower mark. Lightly-raced since, no threat in two chase starts earlier this term. Needs a career-best back over timber.

Form: 3P1P-55

Calie Du Mesnil^t¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: D J Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 131

16/1

Appeared overwhelmed in the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival in March and only fared marginally better since at Fairyhouse in valuable contest. More required to score in this company.

Form: 32P208-

Discordantly²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: R M Power| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 131

10/1

Well-backed for Fairyhouse maiden hurdle (2m4f, good to yielding) and was all out to justify support. Game effort, untested over 3m but worth noting in betting for top connections.

Form: 033281

Present In Court^p²³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: L P Dempsey| T: G Elliott| OR: 130| D

50/1

Progressive last year, wining a bumper and maiden hurdle at Downpatrick before going to England to plunder a Worcester novice hurdle (2m7f, good) in September in good style (sported first-time cheekpieces, retained). Back for handicap bow.

Form: 1/31211-

Roll Again^h⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: D E Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 130

12/1

Son of Walk In The Park bought for €140,000 last year. Won on hurdling debut in a Down Royal maiden in March before being held in Fairyhouse Grade 2 novice. Seemed to improve for step up to this trio back there since (fifth of 23), more to come.

Form: 8/24155-

Small Farm¹²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Katie O'Farrell⁽⁵⁾| T: W P Mullins| OR: 130| D

16/1

Edged out stablemate Voix Des Tiep to win Limerick maiden in December (2m4f, soft), with Albert Bartlett winner Minella Indo in third. Off since and up in trip for handicap bow, of interest amongst Mullins' army here.

Form: 1P2/51-

Mon Lino¹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: M P Walsh| T: P Nolan| OR: 129| D

28/1

Mainly campaigned over fences this term, though did run well in Leopardstown handicap (3m, good; 50-1) in February when close fourth. Rated couple of pounds higher and mixed results since over larger obstacles (has won and fallen).

Form: 0941F4

Moyross^t¹⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade| OR: 128| D

25/1

Two-time hurdles scorer, well held at Fairyhouse over Easter in first-time tongue tie (retrained); will be suited by any ease in ground towards soft.

Form: 766/349-

My Sister Sarah⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 128| BF| C

4/1

2-6 over timber and not disgraced when well fancied in the Mares' Novices' at the Cheltenham Festival in March. Decent effort since when tackling this trip at Fairyhouse (4-1f) and may improve on that form. Place claims.

Form: 112106-

Captain Drake^h⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: S Bowen| T: H Fry| OR: 127| D

18/1

Improving nicely over timber this term, landing wins at Uttoxeter and Southwell on varying ground. Already a winner over this trip and nothing wrong with latest Kelso second (3m2f, good, good to soft). Raider with a chance.

Form: 1/35112-

Dromore Lad⁵³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: K J Brouder⁽⁵⁾| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 126| D

33/1

Well beaten and never nearer in a couple of starts since the turn of the year at Cork and Naas. Left with something to prove on the balance of his form since January.

Form: 118/300-

Acey Milan^t⁴⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Aidan Coleman| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 125| BF

8/1

Smart bumper winner last year at Listed level, scrambled home to win hurdles bow at Plumpton (2m, soft; 11-8f) in February and well held third of 18 since at Uttoxeter on handicap bow. Eased 2lb, has never run over 3m before.

Form: 14-2513

Bialco^t⁴⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-9| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 125

50/1

Consistent sort despite record over hurdles reading 1-9. Won't mind a bit of soft ground but seemingly must improve a good deal to export this prize money.

Form: 22-2P12

Insult⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: D F O'Regan| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 125| C

12/1

Tramore debut has produced a useful winner and he built on that run to land a 2m4f maiden hurdle here in February. Was still in mid-div when coming down four-out at Fairyhouse (3m, good to yielding; 7-1) in race where plenty of these did well.

Form: 21F-

Young Ted^h⁸¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: J M Moore| T: N Meade| OR: 125

18/1

Plenty of encouragement to be taken from the Fame And Glory geldings two maiden hurdle efforts in December, though didn't really build on those efforts here in February. Handicap bow will demand improvement.

Form: 216/434-

Agent Boru¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-9| J: Sean O'Keeffe⁽⁷⁾| T: T Gibney| OR: 125| D

50/1

Soft-ground Fairyhouse winner over this trip a year ago (poor at this meeting), has been toiling over fences this season (First Reserve).

Form: 02P574-

Non-Runners

Elwood⁴²

Weight: 11-0| Age: 5

T: G Elliott J: D N Russell

Folsom Blue²⁶

Weight: 10-12| Age: 12

T: G Elliott J: R Johnson

Mormon¹⁰

Weight: 10-11| Age: 6

T: H De Bromhead J: H Morgan

Ifyoucatchmenow⁹

Weight: 10-8| Age: 6

T: W P Mullins J: Reserve 2

Maeve's Choice¹⁰

Weight: 10-8| Age: 6

T: M J Smith J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

My Sister Sarah (4/1), Cuneo (7/1), Acey Milan (8/1), Three Musketeers (8/1), Smoking Gun (8/1), Discordantly (10/1), Ifyoucatchmenow (11/1), Insult (12/1), Roll Again (12/1), Elwood (14/1), Calie Du Mesnil (16/1), Small Farm (16/1), Mormon (16/1), Folsom Blue (16/1), Maeve's Choice (16/1), Young Ted (18/1), Captain Drake (18/1), Getareason (20/1), Moyross (25/1), Air Horse One (25/1), Ben Button (25/1), Kilfenora (28/1), Mon Lino (28/1), Dromore Lad (33/1), Bialco (50/1), Agent Boru (50/1), Present In Court (50/1), Chateau Conti (66/1)

British raider Captain Drake is well worthy of attention for a trainer that has taken this prize before while Cuneo's fourth in the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham was a solid effort in this context. Three Musketeers typically improved on first start for Gordon Elliott to win at Aintree, though 3m is a question mark. INSULT was just starting to shape well on handicap debut when he fell at Fairyhouse and, if none the worse, could go well off this rating now. Small Farm and My Sister Sarah are amongst a strong squad for the champion trainer while Present In Court needs a close look on handicap bow.