Racecards
12:30 Punchestown (IRE)
Buy Your 2018 Annual Membership Rated Novice Hurdle
- 4 Runners
- Distance: 2m
- Going: Heavy
- Surface: Turf
- €18,000 added
- Winner: €11,088
- 2nd: €3,437
- 3rd: €1,638
- 4th: €738
- Form 1-13
- Age 4
- Weight 11-7
- Trainer G Elliott
- Jockey D N Russell
settled 3rd, slight mistake 5th, ridden entering straight, no impression before last, kept on one pace
- Form 1/42-61
- Age 5
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 123
- Trainer H De Bromhead
- Jockey D Robinson
chased leader in 2nd, ridden to challenge before last, disputed last, headed run-in, held in 2nd closing stages
- Form 24-31
- Age 4
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer J P O'Brien
- Jockey J J Slevin
led, slight mistake 4 out, ridden and pressed before last, joined and disputed last, rallied well to lead again run-in, kept on well closing stages
Low Sun
101- Form 1
- Age 4
- Weight 10-11
- Trainer W P Mullins
- Jockey P Townend
held up in rear, ridden and no impression entering straight, no extra before last
Verdict
Only five runners but all with chances. Suitor was having only his second start for Gordon Elliott when comfortably beating Sympa Des Flos at Limerick. The latter had occupied the same position behind TRAINWRECK at Clonmel earlier and Dylan Robinson's claim can swing things the way of Henry De Bromhead's charge. Roaring Bull won bumpers here and at Tipperary before disappointing on his hurdles debut but a very slow pace and heavy going won't have played to his strengths and he's better than that. Us And Them showed only moderate form in bumpers but it was a different matter on his hurdling debut at Cork where he beat what looked a decent field in impressive style. Low Sun, a winner on the Flat in France, made several mistakes on his debut for Willie Mullins at Bellewstown in August but with his jumping ironed out and more testing ground in his favour he can get into the action in what should be an informative contest.
Formwatch
Roaring Bull (IRE) 2-1 (11-9) Soon led at very slow pace, ran slightly off bend after 3rd, joined from 4th, just headed and pecked last, no extra, one pace, 3rd of 5, 11l behind Sharjah (11-9) at Gowran Park 2m hvy in Nov.
Trainwreck (IRE) 2-1 (11-12) Tracked leaders, 3rd from 3 out, travelling smoothly straight, gained narrow lead before 2 out, ridden out and stayed on well run-in, won at Clonmel 2m 1f mdn sft in Nov beating Sympa Des Flos (11-12) by 3 1/4l, 15 ran.
Us And Them (IRE) 10-1 (11-7) Close up, progress to lead before 4th, almost joined 3 out, kept on well run-in, asserted closing stages, won at Cork 2m mdn Soft - Heavy in Nov beating Cask Mate (11-7) by 3l, 23 ran.
Low Sun 4-6fav (11-7) Tracked leaders, several slight mistakes and not fluent, 6th halfway, closed up in 3rd 2 out, ridden before last, stayed on well to challenge run-in, led close home, won at Bellewstown 2m 1f mdn gd in Aug beating Artful Artist (11-12) by 1/2l, 14 ran.
Suitor 8-1 (11-12) Mid-division on outer, slight mistake 5th, headway before 3 out, challenged 2 out and led last, pushed out to assert and kept on well run-in, won at Limerick 2m mdn sft in Dec beating Sympa Des Flos (11-4) by 2l, 14 ran.