16:50 Punchestown

Thursday 27 April 2023

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

Mongey Communications La Touche Cup Cross Country Chase

Off time: 16:55 | Winning time: 9m 58.0s

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Selected odds by:

Stealthy Tom^p¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 12-3| J: Mr H C Swan⁽⁵⁾| T: E Bolger| OR: 96| C

7/4

Disappointed, dropped in trip over hurdles latest, but had taken 20-runner minor event chase (8/1) at this course (25f, good to soft) previously and holds strong claims.

Form: 7P2-110

Alpha Male^p²⁸

Age: 12| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr T Power Roche⁽⁷⁾| T: Peter Maher| OR: 95| C

50/1

Modest chaser. Course winner. 50/1, thirteenth of 18 in handicap hurdle at Limerick (21f, heavy) 28 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase. Significantly up in trip. Hard to fancy.

Form: 42-1100

Clonguile Way³³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: A Harvey⁽⁷⁾| T: J C McConnell| OR: 104| C

6/1

Fairly useful chaser. Course winner. Ninth of 10 in handicap chase at Kelso (26.2f, soft, 14/1) 33 days ago. Back up in trip. Each-way claims.

Form: 505249

Michael's Pick^p1,t²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: E Walsh⁽⁵⁾| T: Ciaran Murphy| OR: 95

28/1

Fair chaser. One win from 25 NH runs. 50/1, below form fifth of 12 in minor event chase at this course (25f, good to soft) 2 days ago. Significantly up in trip. Cheekpieces on for 1st time.

Form: P47555

Midnight Maestro⁵⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr D O'Connor| T: E Bolger| OR: 118| C

8/1

Course winner (25f) last season. Not in same form this term but worth a second look in the market with top amateur booked.

Form: P-006FP

Vital Island^t²

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr B O Walsh⁽⁷⁾| T: R P O'Keeffe| OR: 110| BF| C

3/1

Fairly useful chaser. Course winner. Back from 7 months off when creditable second of 12 in minor event chase (11/10) here (25f, good to soft) 2 days ago. Significantly back up in trip. One for shortlist.

Form: 533112

An Droichead Eile^p⁶⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: J J Slevin| T: Peter Maher| OR: 98

100/1

Modest chaser. First run since leaving Stephen Gerard Carey when 66/1, pulled up in minor event chase at this course (25f, good to soft) 67 days ago won by Stealthy Tom. Significantly up in trip. Makes limited appeal.

Form: 87-636P

Blast Of Koeman^p,t⁶⁷

Age: 12| Weight: 11-7| J: Phillip Enright| T: Peter Maher| OR: 99

16/1

Temperamental sort. 14/1, pulled up in minor event chase at this course (25f, good to soft) 67 days ago won by Stealthy Tom, struggling badly soon after halfway. Significantly back up in trip. Up against it.

Form: 37-94PP

Mortal^p,t²⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 11-7| J: J S McGarvey| T: G Elliott| OR: 120

8/1

Useful chaser. Below par latest but acquitted himself well in both Cross Country Chases at Cheltenham earlier this year and must be taken seriously.

Form: 948-45P

Space Cadet^p²⁵

Age: 13| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr J C Barry⁽³⁾| T: G O'Loughlin| OR: 111

14/1

Fair chaser. Good third of 13 in handicap chase at Downpatrick (28.6f, heavy, 33/1) 25 days ago. One of likelier contenders.

Form: 3242U3

The Red Menace²⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr A Murphy⁽⁷⁾| T: Ciaran Murphy| OR: 114

28/1

First run since leaving Shane Kieran Ryder when well-beaten ninth of 20 to Stealthy Tom in minor event chase at this course (25f, good to soft, 10/1) 67 days ago. Significantly up in trip. Work to do.

Form: P39U23

Western Sea⁶⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr L P Shanahan⁽⁷⁾| T: R O'Sullivan| OR: 102

80/1

Modest hurdler. 100/1, well-beaten eighth of 20 to Stealthy Tom in minor event chase at this course (25f, good to soft) 67 days ago. Significantly up in trip. Easy to look elsewhere.

Form: 3P-8088

Non-Runners

Nick Lost²⁸

Weight: 11-7| Age: 11

T: J C McConnell J: B W Harvey

Forecasts

Stealthy Tom (7/4), Vital Island (3/1), Clonguile Way (6/1), Midnight Maestro (8/1), Mortal (8/1), Space Cadet (14/1), Blast Of Koeman (16/1), Nick Lost (20/1), Michael's Pick (28/1), The Red Menace (28/1), Alpha Male (50/1), Western Sea (80/1), An Droichead Eile (100/1)

STEALTHY TOM looks to have found his niche in this discipline and can land the spoils. Mortal and Vital Island rate the principal dangers.