16:15 Punchestown

Thursday 1 May 2025

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

Conway Piling Handicap Hurdle (Listed)

Off time: 16:15 | Winning time: 5m 57.3s

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Selected odds by:

Jeriko Du Reponet^p⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: J Bowen| T: N J Henderson| OR: 139| BF| D

13/2

Won first 3 starts over hurdles, including a Grade 2. Struggled to reach those heights at the end of last season/start of this season but confirmed promise of Pertemps qualifier third when runner-up to Doddiethegreat in the Final in first-time cheekpieces. Could have a big handicap in him yet.

Form: P-P532

Beckett Rock⁵⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 138

7/1

Creditable sixth of 26 in handicap hurdle at Cheltenham (21f, good to soft, 28/1) 50 days ago. Remains low mileage.

Form: -41026

Doddiethegreat^p,t⁴⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: B S Hughes| T: N J Henderson| OR: 138| D

14/1

Tongue strap on for 1st time, career best when winning 24-runner handicap hurdle at Cheltenham (24f, good to soft, 25/1) 49 days ago by 1¾ lengths from Jeriko Du Reponet, running on. 7 lb higher mark asks for more.

Form: -5PP21

Karl Des Tourelles⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: B Hayes| T: P Fenton| OR: 137

12/1

Shaped better than the bare result when 7¾ lengths seventh of 24 to Doddiethegreat in handicap hurdle (20/1) at Cheltenham (24f, good to soft) 49 days ago. Needs considering.

Form: 7-9237

Win Some Lose Some⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: A P Kelly⁽⁵⁾| T: P Roche| OR: 135| D

20/1

8/1, proved to be a disappointment when fourteenth of 24 to Doddiethegreat in handicap hurdle at Cheltenham (24f, good to soft) 49 days ago. Needs to bounce back in a big way.

Form: 101410

Yeats Star¹⁸⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: F Brickley⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 135| C

33/1

Course winner. Fell in novice chase at Cheltenham (24.5f, good, 7/2). Off 6 months. Switches from chase to hurdles. Not dismissed.

Form: 3P-41F

Ambitious Fellow²⁰⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: J Coen⁽³⁾| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 134| C

150/1

Course winner. Pulled up in handicap hurdle at Gowran (24f, good, 40/1), folding from 3 out despite having gone through the race more sweetly than of late.

Form: -3PF8P

Bill Joyce^t²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: R P McLernon| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 134| D

10/1

Useful dual novice hurdler winner who fell eight in a first-time tongue strap in premier handicap hurdle at Aintree (24.7f, good) 26 days ago. Should stay 3m.

Form: -1133F

Pray Tell¹¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: J P Shinnick⁽⁵⁾| T: D Kenneally| OR: 134| D

33/1

Latest win in hurdle at Cork in December. 17/2, every chance when unseated rider in handicap hurdle at Cork (19f, soft) 11 days ago. Back up in trip.

Form: 11319U

Tag Man^t¹⁷⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: D J O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 134| C| D

50/1

Latest win at Down Royal in August. Creditable third of 8 in handicap hurdle at Clonmel (24f, good to soft, 4/1) in November. Off since but capable fresh.

Form: -19213

Beat The Bat⁵⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Bryan Carver| T: H Fry| OR: 133

13/2

Creditable fourth of 26 in handicap hurdle (11/2) at Cheltenham (21f, good to soft) 50 days ago. Worth a try at this longer trip and another bold show likely.

Form: 2-2754

Comfort Zone^b⁵⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: S D Torrens| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 133

16/1

Ran poorly after 10 weeks off when down the field in 26-runner handicap hurdle at Cheltenham (21f, good to soft) 50 days ago. Bounce back required.

Form: -76330

Park Of Kings^t²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: M P Walsh| T: P Nolan| OR: 133| C

10/1

Course winner who proved better than ever when fourth of 17 in handicap hurdle at Aintree (24.7f, good, 12/1) 26 days ago. One for the shortlist.

Form: 102254

Chart Topper¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: D E Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 132| BF

15/2

Latest win in hurdle at Wetherby in January. Second of 3 in novice hurdle (4/11) at Ayr (20.4f, good to soft) 19 days ago. Yard in excellent form and remains open to improvement stepping up in trip on handicap debut.

Form: 331122

Flicker Of Hope⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: C Stone-Walsh⁽³⁾| T: M Fahey| OR: 132| D

18/1

Failed to reproduce his handicap form back in a novice when pulled up in Albert Bartlett (Spa) at Cheltenham (24f, good to soft, 25/1) 48 days ago won by Jasmin De Vaux. This more suitable at least.

Form: 18113P

Monbeg Park^p,t³⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: J C Gainford| T: S Doyle| OR: 132| C| D

22/1

Course winner. Latest win in chase at Leopardstown in March. 2/1, well-beaten fourth of 5 to Fun Fun Fun in Gr 3 chase at Limerick (24.7f, soft) 39 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles.

Form: 222314

Building Bridges^p²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: Mr D McGill⁽⁷⁾| T: Gary McGill| OR: 131| D

40/1

One win from 3 runs last season. 50/1 and cheekpieces on for 1st time in this code, creditable ninth of 17 in handicap hurdle at Aintree (24.7f, good) 26 days ago, ridden too aggressively.

Form: 90-619

C'est Ta Chance¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: J J Slevin| T: W P Mullins| OR: 131| D

20/1

Winner in hurdle at Clonmel in December. Fourth of 5 in handicap hurdle at Ayr (24.3f, good to soft, 7/1) 19 days ago, unsuited by emphasis on speed.

Form: -12444

One Big Bang⁴⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: S Bowen| T: James Owen| OR: 131| D

11/1

Creditable 6¾ lengths fifth of 24 to Doddiethegreat in handicap hurdle (14/1) at Cheltenham (24f, good to soft) 49 days ago. Probably needs more of a slog at the trip than this is likely to provide.

Form: 224615

I Love My Baie²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: S F O'Keeffe| T: S R B Crawford| OR: 130

22/1

Creditable third of 10 in handicap hurdle (12/1) at Ayr (21.4f, good) 20 days ago. Merits consideration.

Form: 813-43

Stoner's Choice^p,t⁶⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-13| J: K K Woods| T: F O'Brien| OR: 129

33/1

Seven wins from 26 NH runs. 10/1, good second of 12 in handicap hurdle at Kempton (21f, soft) 68 days ago. Should remain competitive if keeping the mistakes to a minimum.

Form: 1/2472

The Friday Man^p,t²¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: D J Gilligan| T: G Elliott| OR: 129| D

80/1

Latest win in chase at Tramore in September. Went with little fluency before bad mistake 2 out at Sligo last time and now reverts to hurdling after 7 months off.

Form: P8PP15

Gabbys Cross⁶⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 10-10| J: M P O'Connor| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 126| C| D

40/1

Course winner. Twelve runs since last win in 2022. 16/1, good second of 11 in handicap hurdle at Naas (15.5f, heavy) 67 days ago, running on. Significantly back up in trip. RESERVE.

Form: 2208-2

Non-Runners

Beacon Edge²⁷

Weight: 11-12| Age: 11

T: G Elliott J: Mr J H Williamson

Ballybow⁴⁸

Weight: 10-12| Age: 6

T: G Elliott J: Sam Ewing

Custom Taylor⁹

Weight: 10-12| Age: 6

T: D Queally J: K C Sexton

O'Toole¹¹⁹

Weight: 10-10| Age: 9

T: S R B Crawford J: Reserve 1

All For Rachel⁴⁰

Weight: 10-9| Age: 8

T: O McKiernan J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Jeriko Du Reponet (13/2), Beat The Bat (13/2), Beckett Rock (7/1), Chart Topper (15/2), Park Of Kings (10/1), Bill Joyce (10/1), One Big Bang (11/1), Karl Des Tourelles (12/1), Ballybow (12/1), Doddiethegreat (14/1), Comfort Zone (16/1), O'Toole (16/1), Custom Taylor (16/1), Flicker Of Hope (18/1), Win Some Lose Some (20/1), C'est Ta Chance (20/1), I Love My Baie (22/1), Monbeg Park (22/1), Pray Tell (33/1), Stoner's Choice (33/1), Beacon Edge (33/1), Yeats Star (33/1), Gabbys Cross (40/1), Building Bridges (40/1), Tag Man (50/1), The Friday Man (80/1), All For Rachel (100/1), Ambitious Fellow (150/1)

An ultra-competitive handicap with BEAT THE BAT receiving the tentative vote. Harry Fry's 7-y-o shaped well when fourth of 26 in the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival, leaving the impression he'll stay further still, so he makes a fair amount of appeal now stepping up to 3m for the first time. Karl des Tourelles, Chart Topper and Jeriko du Reponet are just a trio of potential threats.