14:30 Punchestown

Wednesday 1 May 2024

All14:3015:0515:4016:1516:5017:2518:0018:35

Adare Manor Opportunity Series Final Handicap Hurdle (95-123)

Off time: 14:30 | Winning time: 4m 51.7s

Baltic Bird^h¹⁵¹

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: O R Brown⁽²⁾| T: W Durkan| OR: 122| D

66/1

Winner in hurdle at Cork in August. 33/1, sixteenth of 20 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (19.8f, soft) 151 days ago.

Form: F41250

Dark Note²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Cian Quirke⁽²⁾| T: A Slattery| OR: 122

14/1

Creditable second of 10 in novice hurdle (22/1) at Naas (16f, soft) 27 days ago. Up in trip, which should suit.

Form: 214262

Final Orders^p,t¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Conor Stone-Walsh⁽²⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 122

9/1

25/1, respectable sixth of 12 in handicap chase at Cheltenham (20.6f, good) 14 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Tongue strap back on.

Form: F-01496

Napper Tandy^t¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: J Smith⁽⁴⁾| T: M J Smith| OR: 122

18/1

Fairly useful winner at 12f on Flat. Tongue strap on for 1st time, third of 15 in novice hurdle at Ballinrobe (17.6f, soft, 10/3) 12 days ago. Should be more to come from him in this sphere.

Form: 253

The Other Mozzie^t³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Alix Balfe⁽⁴⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 122

18/1

Winner in hurdle at Down Royal in December. Tongue strap on for 1st time, good third of 16 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (20f, heavy, 16/1) 31 days ago, running on. Progressing well.

Form: 261353

Striking⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: Conor Smithers⁽⁴⁾| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 121| C

25/1

Course winner. Respectable sixth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Down Royal (20f, soft, 18/1) 45 days ago. Slight drop in trip in his favour.

Form: 213036

Ballywilliam Boy⁷⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: J G Gilligan⁽⁴⁾| T: M Hourigan| OR: 120| D

80/1

100/1, seventh of 9 in novice chase at Thurles (16.3f, soft) on debut over fences 78 days ago. Quickly back over timber.

Form: 06/0077

Heliko Conti⁵²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Carl Millar⁽⁴⁾| T: P Nolan| OR: 118

22/1

Blinkered for 1st time, eighth of 10 in handicap hurdle (9/2) at Naas (19f, heavy) 52 days ago. Headgear quickly removed.

Form: 472268

Joyau De Thaix³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Shane O'Callaghan⁽²⁾| T: P Nolan| OR: 118

25/1

Winner in hurdle at Limerick in December. Creditable fourth of 13 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (23.8f, heavy, 20/1) 32 days ago. Has work to do.

Form: 3144

Luminous Light^h⁷⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: C Brassil| T: A McCann| OR: 117

28/1

Pulled up in handicap hurdle (8/1) at Gowran (20.1f, heavy) 74 days ago, behind when pulled up before last. Likely to bounce back given overall profile.

Form: 1-U232P

Mister Beeton^p1⁴¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Peter Smithers⁽⁴⁾| T: S Nolan| OR: 117| C

50/1

Course winner. Below form thirteenth of 20 in handicap hurdle (25/1) at Cork (20f, heavy) 41 days ago. Cheekpieces on 1st time.

Form: 0-512P0

Party Playboy^p,t1³⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-9| J: M J Molloy⁽⁴⁾| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 117

28/1

10/1, creditable third of 8 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (22.2f, heavy) 30 days ago. Tongue strap on 1st time, cheekpieces back on.

Form: 131/563

Como Park^b,t²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Mike O'Connor| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 116

10/1

Winner over hurdles at Cork in November. Creditable fifth of 10 in novice hurdle at Naas (16f, soft, 8/1) 27 days ago, running on late. Back up in trip. Blinkers back on and he's of serious interest.

Form: 433165

Global Export^h¹⁶⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Patrick M O'Brien⁽⁴⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 116

80/1

14/1, ninth of 11 in handicap hurdle at Navan (22f, heavy) 164 days ago. Continues to disappoint over hurdles.

Form: 059U-99

Maroto^t¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Sean Cleary-Farrell⁽⁴⁾| T: W P Mullins| OR: 116| BF

12/1

Highly promising individual. 6/5 and tongue strap on for 1st time, second of 18 in novice hurdle at Clonmel (16.4f, soft) 13 days ago, running on. Open to plenty of progress now handicapping for top yard.

Form: 6F2

Smooth Scotch^t⁷⁴⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Liam Quinlan| T: S R B Crawford| OR: 116

80/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 11/1, good second of 22 in novice hurdle at Fairyhouse (20f, good to soft), running on. Off over 2 years. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Not easy to assess.

Form: 8332/

Champella⁵⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: T P Harney⁽⁴⁾| T: R O'Sullivan| OR: 115

33/1

Eighth of 12 in handicap hurdle (22/1) at Leopardstown (20f, heavy) 58 days ago. May come on for that reappearance.

Form: 13156-8

Mighty Jeremy^t¹⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-6| J: Niall Moore⁽⁴⁾| T: Liam G O'brien| OR: 114| D

80/1

Latest win in hurdle at Fairyhouse in February. 17/2, creditable fifth of 11 in handicap hurdle at Tramore (21.4f, good to soft) 10 days ago. Must improve.

Form: 0541P5

Park Of Kings^t⁸⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Aidan Kelly⁽²⁾| T: P Nolan| OR: 114| C

11/2

Course winner. Two wins from 6 runs last season. 8/1, respectable fifth of 22 in handicap hurdle at Leopardstown (24.3f, soft) 88 days ago. Down in trip. Enters calculations.

Form: 011335

West Away^t¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: D A Kidd⁽⁴⁾| T: J C McConnell| OR: 114

22/1

11/2 and hooded for 1st time, good second of 11 in handicap hurdle at Tramore (21.4f, good to soft) 10 days ago.

Form: 8-016U2

Harsh^p⁵⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: Danny Gilligan| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 119

17/2

Cheekpieces on for 1st time in this code, creditable fourth of 22 in juvenile hurdle at Cheltenham (16.4f, heavy, 40/1) 50 days ago, running on.

Form: 3144

Walk Away Harry^t1⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Philip Byrnes| T: C Byrnes| OR: 113| C

7/4

Promising individual. 6/1, good third of 14 in novice hurdle at Cork (20f, heavy) 41 days ago. Tongue strap on first time and his opening mark could be lenient based on bumper form.

Form: 21-6453

Elusive Prince³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Daire James McConville⁽⁴⁾| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 112

28/1

16/1, third of 20 in novice hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, heavy) 31 days ago. Back up in trip. Makes handicap hurdle debut. RESERVE.

Form: 1403

Non-Runners

American Money¹

Weight: 11-13| Age: 7

T: E & P Harty J: Jake Coen

Tactical Affair³¹

Weight: 11-9| Age: 5

T: W Greatrex J: M M McDonagh

Knockanore⁶¹

Weight: 11-5| Age: 7

T: R Potter J: Dylan Johnston

A Great View¹²⁵

Weight: 11-4| Age: 13

T: D Cullen J: Reserve 2

Themanintheboots⁶

Weight: 11-4| Age: 6

T: G Elliott J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Walk Away Harry (7/4), Park Of Kings (11/2), Harsh (17/2), Final Orders (9/1), Como Park (10/1), American Money (10/1), Maroto (12/1), Dark Note (14/1), The Other Mozzie (18/1), Napper Tandy (18/1), West Away (22/1), Heliko Conti (22/1), Striking (25/1), Joyau De Thaix (25/1), Themanintheboots (25/1), Tactical Affair (25/1), Luminous Light (28/1), Party Playboy (28/1), Elusive Prince (28/1), Champella (33/1), Knockanore (33/1), Mister Beeton (50/1), Baltic Bird (66/1), A Great View (66/1), Global Export (80/1), Mighty Jeremy (80/1), Ballywilliam Boy (80/1), Smooth Scotch (80/1)

This looks a hot handicap for the grade with WALK AWAY HARRY of particular interest at the foot of the weights given he's well treated on his bumper form for an ultra-shrewd yard. Como Park has blinkers back on over his ideal trip so he's on the shortlist, with Maroto another potential big improver for Willie Mullins.

Previous Winners

2023

Ballybawn Belter

Weight: 11-5 |Age: 5

J: C G O'Dwyer | T: Liz Doyle

17/2

Prize Money

1st: €18,000.002nd: €6,000.003rd: €3,000.004th: €1,500.005th: €900.006th: €600.00