14:00 Punchestown

Monday 24 February 2025

All13:3014:0014:3515:0515:3516:1016:4317:18

50,000 Euros BetVictor Graduation Bonus Series Maiden Hurdle (Div 2)

Off time: 14:05 | Winning time: 4m 22.01s

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Selected odds by:

Come On The Lads^h⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G P Cromwell

6/1

Promising sort. Fairly useful winner at 12f on the Flat. Very good fourth of 21 in novice hurdle at this course (16.9f, heavy, 50/1) 43 days ago. Open to progress.

Form: UP94

High Court Cave²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: J S McGarvey| T: N C Kelly

33/1

Thrice-raced winner under Rules. 1 win from 3 runs this season. 40/1, tenth of 14 in novice hurdle at Naas (18.7f, heavy) on hurdles bow 29 days ago. Open to improvement.

Form: 4F-1410

Fortunate Lighting³⁰⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Philip Byrnes| T: C Byrnes

22/1

Promising sort. Sixth of 19 in novice hurdle (22/1) at Tipperary (20f, good to soft) on hurdles bow, not knocked about. Off 10 months but she's open to improvement and should be involved if raring to go.

Form: 65/516-

Free Flow²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Donagh Meyler| T: R O'Sullivan

12/1

Fair maiden on the Flat. Once-raced maiden. Sixth of 22 in novice hurdle at this course (16.2f, soft, 66/1) on NH debut 21 days ago. Should improve.

Form: 6

Grey Pharoh⁷⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Danny Gilligan| T: G Elliott

7/4

€80,000 3-y-o, Policy Maker gelding. Dam, lightly raced in bumpers/over hurdles, sister to useful hurdler/fairly useful chase winner (stayed 23f) Olofi. Didn't show a great deal in a couple of maiden points but since joined a top yard and he needs a close look in the betting.

Form: P4

Lambay Island³⁹

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

7/1

Twice-raced maiden under Rules. Fourth of 13 in novice hurdle (33/1) at Fairyhouse (16.2f, soft) on hurdles bow 39 days ago. May well do better.

Form: 04

Runcok⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins

6/4

Thrice-raced maiden. 11/4, fifth of 9 in bumper at Fairyhouse (16f, good to soft) 44 days ago. One to consider for top yard now switched to hurdles.

Form: 0-35

Summer Is Here²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: D Robinson| T: P J Rothwell

300/1

Thrice-raced maiden. 200/1, seventeenth of 22 in novice hurdle at this course (16.2f, soft) 21 days ago. Readily passed over.

Form: 000

Vallon Du Plessis^t²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Mr I Ryan⁽⁷⁾| T: Tom Dreaper

200/1

Thrice-raced maiden. Twentieth of 22 in novice hurdle (200/1) at this course (16.2f, soft) 21 days ago. Hard to fancy.

Form: 000

Regards To Rose^t⁵⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Gary Noonan⁽⁵⁾| T: E McCarthy

66/1

Thrice-raced maiden under Rules. 50/1 and tongue strap on for 1st time, fourteenth of 17 in novice hurdle at Limerick (20f, soft) 59 days ago. Needs to improve.

Form: 3-1R3R0

Spread Your Wings^h1²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Peter Smithers⁽⁷⁾| T: P Roche

40/1

Promising individual. 20/1, fifth of 6 in bumper at Limerick (16f, heavy) on bumper debut 27 days ago. Switches from bumpers to hurdles. Hood on 1st time and should progress.

Form: U45

Non-Runners

San Aer¹

Weight: 11-12| Age: 7

T: T Mullins J: D E Mullins

Welcome Aboard¹

Weight: 11-4| Age: 5

T: A A Howard J: S D Torrens

Underhercontrol³⁸

Weight: 10-11| Age: 5

T: Brendan Walsh J: S Fitzgerald

Forecasts

Runcok (6/4), Grey Pharoh (7/4), Come On The Lads (6/1), Lambay Island (7/1), San Aer (10/1), Free Flow (12/1), Fortunate Lighting (22/1), High Court Cave (33/1), Spread Your Wings (40/1), Regards To Rose (66/1), Welcome Aboard (66/1), Underhercontrol (66/1), Vallon Du Plessis (200/1), Summer Is Here (300/1)

It may well be that handicaps will bring out the best in COME ON THE LADS in due course but he has nevertheless shown enough in maiden hurdles at Leopardstown and this course on his last two starts to make him of strong interest in this race. Fortunate Lighting could be the main danger, provided that she is fully tuned-up following a break, while hurdles debutant Runcok and Spread Your Wings are also shortlisted.