16:15 Punchestown

Friday 29 April 2022

All15:4016:1516:5017:2518:0018:3519:1019:45

EMS Copiers Novice Handicap Chase (Grade A)

Off time: 16:15 | Winning time: 5m 33.7s

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Selected odds by:

Blue Sari^t¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: M P Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 152| C

16/1

25/1, 30 lengths last of 4 to Galopin Des Champs in Gold Cup Novices' Chase at Fairyhouse (20f, soft) 12 days ago. Makes handicap chase debut. One of five for Willie Mullins.

Form: FP-2414

Fighter Allen^t¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: P Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 144| C

4/1

Promising type. 10/11, didn't need to improve to win 6-runner minor event chase at Tramore (21.6f, good to soft) 19 days ago, easily. Makes handicap chase debut. Remains a smart prospect and the pick of Paul Townend, he's a must for the shortlist.

Form: 307-241

French Dynamite^p,t⁴¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: D J O'Keeffe| T: M F Morris| OR: 144| C

3/1

Course winner. Two wins from 5 runs this season. Showed a willing attitude back down in trip to win 5-runner Grade 3 chase (9/4) at Thurles (18f, good to soft) 41 days ago by nose from Ciel De Neige. Respected on handicap chase debut.

Form: 24-5161

Birchdale^p⁸²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: S Fitzgerald⁽⁵⁾| T: E Bolger| OR: 141| D

12/1

9/2, career best when winning 17-runner handicap chase at Leopardstown (21.3f, soft) 82 days ago. Makes plenty of appeal once again despite an 8 lb rise in the weights.

Form: 337061

El Barra⁴³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: J B Foley⁽⁵⁾| T: W P Mullins| OR: 140| C

8/1

18/1, tailed-off third of 4 to Bob Olinger in Golden Miller Novices' Chase at Cheltenham (19.8f, good to soft) 43 days ago. Makes handicap chase debut.

Form: 11-2313

Fan De Blues^h,t⁵⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: D A Jacob| T: W P Mullins| OR: 140| C

28/1

Course winner. Made little impression when ninth of 14 in handicap chase (10/1) at Leopardstown (21.4f, good to soft) 54 days ago. One of five for Willie Mullins but others make more appeal on this occasion.

Form: 1226F9

Grand Bornand¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: S F O'Keeffe| T: W P Mullins| OR: 140

40/1

Shaped better than the distance beaten suggests when 19 lengths third of 6 to Fighter Allen in minor event chase at Tramore (21.6f, good to soft, 12/1) 19 days ago, beaten when making bad mistake 2 out. Makes handicap chase debut.

Form: 90-1PP3

Lieutenant Command⁶¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: E Walsh⁽⁵⁾| T: N Meade| OR: 140| D

9/1

20/1, leading when unseated rider 2 out in handicap chase at Naas (20.4f, soft) 61 days ago won by Gabbys Cross, looking set to go close. Must enters calculations.

Form: 99-156U

Busselton^p⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: J J Slevin| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 138| C

9/1

50/1, 40 lengths second of 4 to Bob Olinger in Golden Miller Novices' Chase at Cheltenham (19.8f, good to soft) 43 days ago. Cheekpieces back on. Makes handicap chase debut. Merits consideration.

Form: 311242

Gabbys Cross^h⁶¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 137| C

20/1

Showed improved form making handicap debut when winning at Naas (20.4f, soft, 22/1) 61 days ago, driven out. Hood back on. 8 lb rise to cope and while there's still room for improvement in his jumping he's certainly not dismissed.

Form: 58-4F91

Gevrey¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-4| J: J W Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 130| D

11/1

Barely had to improve to land his second victory of the campaign when landing 8-runner minor event chase (4/1) at Fairyhouse (21.2f, soft) 12 days ago. Gordon Elliott's sole representative, he can give another good account back in handicap company.

Form: 341421

Stand Off¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-4| J: L P Dempsey| T: P Fenton| OR: 130| BF

40/1

Two wins from 5 runs this season. Seemed stretched by the longer trip when 9¾ lengths third of 8 to Gevrey in minor event chase at Fairyhouse (21.2f, soft, 5/2) 12 days ago, yet to be asked for effort when hampered 2 out. Makes handicap chase debut.

Form: 10-1413

Rightplacerightime^b¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-3| J: Miss M O'Sullivan⁽⁵⁾| T: E Mullins| OR: 127| BF

16/1

9/4, creditable second of 10 in handicap chase at Fairyhouse (25.4f, good to soft) 13 days ago, going with enthusiasm. Blinkers back on. Proving expensive to follow and from 2lb out of the handicap, the percentage call is to look elsewhere.

Form: 624672

Il Courra^t³³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-3| J: P J O'Hanlon⁽⁷⁾| T: C W J Farrell| OR: 125

33/1

Tongue strap on for 1st time, back on track when fourth of 8 on handicap chase debut (13/2) at Limerick (17.5f, good to soft) 33 days ago. This tougher so it's easy to look elsewhere.

Form: 565644

Bold Emperor¹²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-3| J: P K Donovan⁽⁵⁾| T: T Gibney| OR: 117

50/1

17/2, ran as well as could be expected when second of 10 in handicap chase at Fairyhouse (16.7f, soft) 12 days ago. Back up in trip. Plenty to find on form.

Form: 14F322

Forecasts

French Dynamite (3/1), Fighter Allen (4/1), El Barra (8/1), Busselton (9/1), Lieutenant Command (9/1), Gevrey (11/1), Birchdale (12/1), Blue Sari (16/1), Rightplacerightime (16/1), Gabbys Cross (20/1), Fan De Blues (28/1), Il Courra (33/1), Grand Bornand (40/1), Stand Off (40/1), Bold Emperor (50/1)

Willie Mullins has an outstanding record in this valuable novice handicap (won five of the last six renewals) and with FIGHTER ALLEN seemingly the pick of Paul Townend, he can enhance that record further with the promise of better to come over the larger obstacles. Lieutenant Command looked set to go close when departing 2 out in a race won by Gabbys Cross at Naas in February so he could provide the main danger, ahead of Gevrey and Busselton in a fiercely-competitive contest.