14:35 Punchestown

Saturday 29 April 2023

All14:3515:1015:5016:2517:0017:3018:0518:40

Donohue Solutions Cross Country Chase

Off time: 14:37 | Winning time: 7m 11.7s

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Selected odds by:

Four Country Roads¹¹

Age: 9| Weight: 12-3| J: Mr E Mahon⁽⁷⁾| T: B McMahon| OR: 75

80/1

Unreliable type. Latest win in chase at Navan in January. Below form sixth of 11 in handicap chase at Tipperary (23.6f, soft, 40/1) 11 days ago. Plenty to find on form.

Form: 9P1PP6

Hurricane Darwin^t⁴⁰

Age: 13| Weight: 12-3| J: Mr B O Walsh⁽⁷⁾| T: C W J Farrell| OR: 116| CD

9/2

C&D winner (including this corresponding event in 2022). 3 wins from 6 runs this season. Possibly flattered when 18 lengths third of 5 to Any Second Now in Webster Cup Chase (40/1) at Navan (20.4f, heavy) 40 days ago. Back up in trip.

Form: 1-11623

Midnight Maestro²

Age: 11| Weight: 12-3| J: S Fitzgerald⁽³⁾| T: E Bolger| OR: 118| CD

14/1

C&D winner. 8/1, 23¾ lengths fifth of 12 to Vital Island in minor event chase at this course (34f, good) 2 days ago. Back down in trip.

Form: 006FP5

Birchdale¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr D O'Connor| T: E Bolger| OR: 133

3/1

Showed promise when fourth at Leopardstown in February but pulled up on both subsequent starts. Tough to know what to expect.

Form: 6P74PP

Go Another One^t³⁶⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: B W Harvey⁽⁵⁾| T: J C McConnell| OR: 133| BF

8/1

Useful hurdler. Thirteen wins from 38 NH runs. 7/2, below form fifth of 14 in minor event chase at this course (34f, good). Off 12 months. Down in trip.

Form: 315445-

Three Loud Knocks¹²

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: J J Slevin| T: B Mortell| OR: 75

125/1

Unreliable type. Sixteen runs since last win in 2022. Again below form eighth of 13 in handicap chase at Tramore (21.7f, good to soft, 22/1) 12 days ago.

Form: 730078

Western Sea²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr L P Shanahan⁽⁷⁾| T: R O'Sullivan| OR: 102

100/1

Modest hurdler. Never landed a blow when 35¼ lengths seventh of 12 to Vital Island in minor event chase (80/1) at this course (34f, good) 2 days ago. Back down in trip.

Form: P-80887

An Droichead Eile^p²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: A Harvey⁽⁷⁾| T: Peter Maher| OR: 98

100/1

Modest chaser. 100/1, tailed-off tenth of 12 to Vital Island in minor event chase at this course (34f, good) 2 days ago. Back down in trip.

Form: 7-636P0

Blast Of Koeman^p,t²

Age: 12| Weight: 11-7| J: S F O'Keeffe| T: Peter Maher| OR: 99

14/1

Temperamental sort. Two wins from 51 NH runs. 16/1, 14¼ lengths fourth of 12 to Vital Island in minor event chase at this course (34f, good) 2 days ago, weakening from 2 out. Back down in trip.

Form: 7-94PP4

Grangeclare Native^p,t⁶⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: P T Enright| T: O McKiernan| OR: 106| C

33/1

Unreliable individual. Thirteen runs since last win in 2021. Again ran poorly when tailed-off twelfth of 20 to Stealthy Tom in minor event chase (40/1) at this C&D (good to soft) 69 days ago.

Form: P2P0P0

Hardline¹⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 11-7| J: K M Donoghue| T: G Elliott| OR: 137| C

14/1

Twenty one runs since last win in 2018. Seventeenth of 29 in handicap chase (150/1) at Aintree (21.1f, good to soft) 15 days ago. Big leap of faith required.

Form: 221680

Plan Of Attack^b⁴⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: D J O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 137| D

7/1

Useful chaser. Sixteen runs since last win in 2019. Fell twenty-seventh in minor event chase at Cheltenham (30.2f, good to soft, 66/1) 45 days ago. Capable provided his jumping holds up.

Form: 37-6P7F

Subset^p⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr B T Stone⁽⁷⁾| T: Peter Maher| OR: 81

33/1

Remains a maiden after 26 NH runs. 50/1, right back to his best when 17 lengths third of 12 to Three By Two in minor event chase at this C&D (good to soft) 4 days ago.

Form: 0-F4063

Three By Two⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Mr T Power Roche⁽⁷⁾| T: D P Murphy| CD

5/2

First run since leaving A. McIntyre when 8/1, career best when winning 12-runner minor event chase at this C&D (good to soft) on debut over fences 4 days ago by 3 lengths from Vital Island, staying on to lead last. Major player if coping with the quick turnaround.

Form: 0-6P131

Non-Runners

Stealthy Tom²

Weight: 12-7| Age: 8

T: E Bolger J: Mr H C Swan

Alpha Male²

Weight: 11-12| Age: 12

T: Peter Maher J: D Meyler

Vital Island²

Weight: 12-3| Age: 11

T: R P O'Keeffe J: Non Runner

Jet Fighter¹

Weight: 11-7| Age: 6

T: Peter Maher J: Mr S Cavanagh

Mortal²

Weight: 11-7| Age: 11

T: G Elliott J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Three By Two (5/2), Birchdale (3/1), Vital Island (7/2), Stealthy Tom (7/2), Hurricane Darwin (9/2), Plan Of Attack (7/1), Go Another One (8/1), Blast Of Koeman (14/1), Midnight Maestro (14/1), Hardline (14/1), Jet Fighter (14/1), Mortal (25/1), Subset (33/1), Grangeclare Native (33/1), Alpha Male (50/1), Four Country Roads (80/1), Western Sea (100/1), An Droichead Eile (100/1), Three Loud Knocks (125/1)

Over half of these were involved earlier in the week so, with that in mind, PLAN OF ATTACK is taken to snap a lengthy losing run stretching back to 2019. Last year's winner Hurricane Darwin has presumably been saved for this contest so he may emerge as the main danger, while Three By Two took to the banks like a duck to water when winning over C&D on Tuesday and so she warrants plenty of respect if turned out again quickly.