19:05 Punchestown

Thursday 2 May 2024

All15:4016:1516:5017:2518:0018:3519:0519:40

Close Brothers Mares Novice Hurdle (Listed)

Off time: 19:09 | Winning time: 4m 7.5s

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Selected odds by:

Implicit^h³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Brian Hayes| T: W P Mullins| OR: 124| D

16/1

Made it third time lucky when scoring at Clonmel in January and improved plenty more when following up in 18-runner handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, heavy) 31 days ago, rallying well after losing momentum last. Likely to progress further.

Form: 3P11

Me Wee Bonnie Lass⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Kieren Buckley| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 125| D

16/1

Promising individual. Notched her third career success in 7-runner handicap hurdle (9/2) at Bellewstown (17f, good to soft) 8 days ago, staying on the lead run-in and scoring a shade cosily. Likely to progress further.

Form: 1141

Miss Agusta³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 121| D

50/1

Capitalised on the drop in grade when winning 5-runner minor event hurdle (9/2) at Limerick (16.2f, heavy) 39 days ago, edging ahead post. Will need to raise her game again to get involved.

Form: 20-1771

Mollys Mango^t⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: P V O'Brien| T: Harry Derham| OR: 123| D

18/1

Bumper winner who made a successful start to her hurdle career in 2m maiden at Thurles in November and quickly back on track when making the most of a simple task at Fairyhouse (17.2f) in January. Touch disappointing on first start for new trainer at Cheltenham, however, so must bounce back.

Form: 36-1P16

Got Glory²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: D E Mullins| T: W P Mullins| D

5/1

Won sole start in France and having been pitched in much too deep for her hurdling debut 12 months ago, had plenty in hand when justifying strong support in 19-runner maiden hurdle at Naas (16f, soft) 4 weeks ago. Expected to take another big step forward.

Form: P-1

Iris Emery^t1³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: W P Mullins| D

66/1

Made a winning hurdling debut at Fairyhouse in February but flying too high when pulled up in Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Novices' Hurdle Championship Final at Fairyhouse (20f, heavy) 32 days ago. Yard run five and others look stronger.

Form: P-31P

Kilbarry Saint^t³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Danny Gilligan| T: C O'Keeffe| OR: 123| D

28/1

Opened her account at Clonmel in February and ran a cracker upped in grade when 4½ lengths second of 8 to Mirazur West in Hardy Eustace Novices' Hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, heavy) 32 days ago. On the upgrade recently.

Form: 565212

Mayor's Walk^h¹⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 121

25/1

Made a winning hurdling debut at Listowel in September. Pulled up in listed hurdle at this course (19.2f, heavy, 14/1) 5 months ago won by Jetara, in touch when bad mistake 2 out. Remains with potential.

Form: 1-12P

Only By Night³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Sean Flanagan| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 125| D

6/1

25/1, again ran below form when 29¼ lengths seventh of 17 to Jade De Grugy in Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Novices' Hurdle Championship Final at Fairyhouse (20f, heavy) 32 days ago. More needed.

Form: 3-11137

Paggane^p1³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: M J M O'Sullivan| T: W P Mullins| OR: 118| C

33/1

Course winner in February. Out of depth when pulled up in Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Novices' Hurdle Championship Final at Fairyhouse (20f, heavy) 32 days ago. Cheekpieces on for 1st time. Easy to look elsewhere.

Form: 5231P

Spindleberry³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins

7/4

Made a winning hurdling debut at Fairyhouse in January and coped admirably with the marked step up in grade when 2¼ lengths second of 17 to Jade De Grugy in Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Novices' Hurdle Championship Final there (20f, heavy) 32 days ago. Could take some stopping.

Form: 1-312

Theatre Native³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| D

18/1

Pulled up twice over hurdles either side of getting off the mark in maiden at Fairyhouse in February. Headgear discarded and it's tough to see her involved at this level.

Form: F4-P1P

Casa No Mento¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 124| D

4/1

10/11, capitalised on the drop in grade to make it 3-4 over hurdles in 8-runner novice at Chepstow (16f, good to soft) 19 days ago, soon clear. This obviously tougher, but this English raider is worth her place in this company.

Form: 20-1121

Cast A Spell^v³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Donagh Meyler| T: T Hogan| D

100/1

Ran well enough without fully backing up her apparent Thurles effort 4 months earlier when second of 11 in maiden hurdle (7/1) at Cork (19f, heavy) 32 days ago. Uphill task.

Form: 1P9442

Karacole⁴⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: J J Slevin| T: J Barcoe| OR: 109

100/1

Good second of 6 in maiden hurdle (15/2) at Navan (20f, heavy) 40 days ago, having run of race. Plenty to find on form.

Form: 04F662

Lucy Wang²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-8| J: Phillip Enright| T: J Halley

50/1

7/1, yet to be asked for effort when slipped up home turn in maiden hurdle at Naas (16f, soft) 4 weeks ago, likely to have finished in the frame. This a different kettle of kish, however.

Form: 7P2S

Forecasts

Spindleberry (7/4), Casa No Mento (4/1), Got Glory (5/1), Only By Night (6/1), Me Wee Bonnie Lass (16/1), Implicit (16/1), Theatre Native (18/1), Mollys Mango (18/1), Mayor's Walk (25/1), Kilbarry Saint (28/1), Paggane (33/1), Lucy Wang (50/1), Miss Agusta (50/1), Iris Emery (66/1), Cast A Spell (100/1), Karacole (100/1)

Willie Mullins continues his dominance with five runners and it's SPINDLEBERRY who gets the nod having coped admirably with the marked step up in grade when finishing runner-up in a Grade 1 at Fairyhouse recently. Stablemate Got Glory had stacks in hand when winning her maiden last month so she's put forward as the main danger with significant progress expected, while Me Wee Bonnie Lass, Implicit and Casa No Mento are all also fancied to go well, too.