17:30 Punchestown

Saturday 30 April 2022

All14:3515:1015:5016:2517:0017:3018:0518:35

Tote Always SP Or Better Handicap Hurdle (Grade B)

Off time: 17:31 | Winning time: 4m 51.1s

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Selected odds by:

The Shunter^h,t⁴⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: C G O'Dwyer⁽⁷⁾| T: E Mullins| OR: 145| C| D

22/1

Pulled up in handicap hurdle at Cheltenham (21f, soft, 10/1) 45 days ago. Needs to bounce back.

Form: 123-4UP

Fastorslow^t⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr R James⁽⁷⁾| T: M Brassil| OR: 144

10/3

18/1 and tongue strap on for 1st time, very good second of 23 in Coral Cup at Cheltenham (21f, soft) 45 days ago. Still has few miles on the clock, so he's a big player.

Form: 21/2-002

Drop The Anchor⁴⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: S D Torrens| T: P A Fahy| OR: 140| C

25/1

Course winner. Below form fourteenth of 23 in handicap hurdle at Cheltenham (21f, soft, 15/2) 45 days ago. Sort to bounce back.

Form: 170-950

Five O'Clock^p1⁴³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: J B Foley⁽⁵⁾| T: W P Mullins| OR: 139

22/1

Eighteenth of 23 in handicap hurdle at Cheltenham (20.2f, good to soft, 15/2) 43 days ago. Trainer going well. Cheekpieces on 1st time. Others have achieved more.

Form: 22117/0

Hannon¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: T Gibney| OR: 139

100/1

33/1, sixteenth of 17 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, good to soft) 14 days ago. Others more persuasive.

Form: 70-20F0

Irascible^p,t¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 139

33/1

4/1 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, career best when winning 7-runner minor event hurdle at Cork (16f, heavy) 13 days ago, responding well. In the picture.

Form: 255-001

Jesse Evans^h1¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade| OR: 139

18/1

9/1, creditable sixth of 17 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, good to soft) 14 days ago. Hood on 1st time. Not ruled out.

Form: 3-14906

Unexpected Depth^v²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: S Fitzgerald⁽⁵⁾| T: O McKiernan| OR: 139| C

40/1

Course winner. 14/1 and visored for 1st time, eighteenth of 25 in handicap hurdle at this course (23.6f, good to soft) 2 days ago, racing lazily. Something to find on form.

Form: 40-9920

Camprond⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Aidan Coleman| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 137| D

4/1

Three wins from 8 runs last season. Latest win in hurdle at Cheltenham in October. Respectable fourth of 23 in handicap hurdle (10/1) at Cheltenham (21f, soft) 45 days ago. Looks competitive on form.

Form: 421144

Adamantly Chosen⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 136| C

9/2

Lightly-raced winner under NH rules. 11/2, respectable eleventh of 23 in handicap hurdle at Cheltenham (20.2f, good to soft) 43 days ago. Yard having good spell. Shortlist material.

Form: 1-2210

Saint D'Oroux^t²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: D A Jacob| T: S R B Crawford| OR: 136

50/1

Latest win in hurdle at Kelso in February. 33/1, below form seventh of 21 in handicap hurdle at Aintree (24.7f, good to soft) 21 days ago. Down in trip and can make presence felt.

Form: 300-127

Get My Drift^t⁸³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: M P Walsh| T: M F Morris| OR: 133

16/1

9/1, below form thirteenth of 27 in handicap hurdle at Leopardstown (16f, soft) 83 days ago. Not taken lightly if shrugging off latest effort.

Form: 142-430

Hes A Hardy Bloke^h¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: E Walsh⁽⁵⁾| T: N Meade| OR: 133| C

12/1

Course winner. Hooded for 1st time, good fourth of 17 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, good to soft, 11/1) 14 days ago. One to consider.

Form: 10-6804

Damalisque¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 10-13| J: J S McGarvey| T: E & P Harty| OR: 132

66/1

16/1, fell 6th in handicap hurdle at Cork (19f, heavy) 13 days ago. More is needed.

Form: 3-6800F

Berkshire Royal²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: D E Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 131| D

33/1

Lightly-raced winner over hurdles. Well-beaten fifth of 7 to Bronn in Easter Festival Novices' Hurdle (4/1) at Fairyhouse (20f, good to soft) 27 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut with bit to prove.

Form: 0/125

La Prima Donna^p¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: B J Cooper| T: W P Mullins| OR: 129

10/1

14/1, excellent second of 17 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, good to soft) 14 days ago. Yard having good spell. Another bold show likely.

Form: 22-2F2

No Grey Area's⁴²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: Phillip Enright| T: M Hassett| OR: 129

100/1

Career best when winning 14-runner handicap hurdle at Gowran (20f, heavy, 8/1), forging clear. Off 14 months so has hit fitness to prove.

Form: 0/31141-

Heia¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-8| J: Brian Hayes| T: W P Mullins| OR: 127

16/1

Winner in hurdle at Fairyhouse in February. Very good third of 17 in handicap hurdle (10/1) at Fairyhouse (16f, good to soft) 14 days ago. Likely to continue in form.

Form: 1-4103

Bread And Butter²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-6| J: A P Kelly⁽⁷⁾| T: Ms H P Markham| OR: 125

66/1

Sixteen runs since last win in 2020. 25/1, below form fourteenth of 25 in handicap hurdle at this course (23.6f, good to soft) 2 days ago.

Form: 232330

Wouldn't You Agree¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-6| J: S O'Callaghan⁽⁷⁾| T: E Griffin| OR: 125

66/1

Pulled up in handicap hurdle (10/1) at Cork (19f, heavy) 13 days ago, beaten home turn. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 13P43P

Mi Lighthouse¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-5| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: W P Mullins| OR: 124

28/1

Winner in hurdle at Limerick in February. Makes handicap hurdle debut but others look better treated at these weights.

Form: 42312P

Aarons Day^p,t³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: B Browne| T: O McKiernan| OR: 121

20/1

Quirky sort. Cheekpieces on for 1st time, good fourth of 24 in handicap hurdle (12/1) at this course (19.8f, good to soft) 3 days ago. Yard in good form. Should go well again.

Form: 7-49954

Hollow Sound¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-1| J: J C Gainford| T: L Comer| OR: 120

66/1

80/1, well-beaten sixth of 8 to Darasso in Ballybin Hurdle at Fairyhouse (20f, good to soft) 12 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 30/0426

Belle Metal¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: C P McNamara| T: W P Mullins| OR: 118| BF

28/1

Creditable seventh of 16 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (24.5f, good to soft, 13/2) 14 days ago. Down in trip and in the mix. RESERVE.

Form: 11-5517

Non-Runners

The Very Man²

Weight: 11-8| Age: 8

T: Mrs J Harrington J: R M Power

Peregrine Run²¹⁷

Weight: 10-11| Age: 12

T: Peter Fahey J: K C Sexton

Wild Hunt³⁷

Weight: 10-0| Age: 5

T: D Hogan J: Reserve 2

Forecasts

Fastorslow (10/3), Camprond (4/1), Adamantly Chosen (9/2), La Prima Donna (10/1), Hes A Hardy Bloke (12/1), Get My Drift (16/1), Heia (16/1), Jesse Evans (18/1), Aarons Day (20/1), Wild Hunt (20/1), The Very Man (20/1), The Shunter (22/1), Five O'Clock (22/1), Drop The Anchor (25/1), Belle Metal (28/1), Mi Lighthouse (28/1), Berkshire Royal (33/1), Irascible (33/1), Peregrine Run (33/1), Unexpected Depth (40/1), Saint D'Oroux (50/1), Bread And Butter (66/1), Damalisque (66/1), Wouldn't You Agree (66/1), Hollow Sound (66/1), Hannon (100/1), No Grey Area's (100/1)

FASTORSLOW comes here on the back of a fine second in the Coral Cup at Cheltenham and is taken to go one better in a very open handicap. Willie Mullins arrives mob handed and his La Prima Donna is fancied to emerge second best with Camprond and Drop The Anchor two more who command plenty of respect.