Racecards
16:15 Punchestown (IRE)
Bibby Financial Services Handicap Chase
- 15 Runners
- Distance: 2m
- Going: Heavy
- Surface: Turf
- €25,000 added
- Winner: €16,250
- 2nd: €4,750
- 3rd: €2,250
- 4th: €750
- Form 311124
- Age 6
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 146
- Trainer W P Mullins
- Jockey Ruby Walsh
made most, joined from 3 out, strongly pressed from 2 out, narrowly headed briefly and ridden before last, rallied to lead early flat, stayed on well close home
- Form 4123P4
- Age 8
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 133
- Trainer P Nolan
- Jockey D N Russell
always prominent, improved to dispute lead from 3 out, ridden to lead narrowly before last, headed early flat, kept on same pace run-in
- Form P-27FP4
- Age 7
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 133
- Trainer J T R Dreaper
- Jockey A E Lynch
prominent, 3rd 4 out, weakened from next, pulled up before last
- Form 056233
- Age 9
- Weight 10-6
- Official Rating 128
tracked leaders, close up in 3rd 3 out, soon ridden, no impression on leaders in 3rd 2 out, bad mistake last and soon dropped to 5th
- Form 242214
- Age 12
- Weight 10-4
- Official Rating 126
- Trainer Miss Z C Davison
- Jockey Ms K Walsh
mid-division, ridden and no impression 4 out, pulled up before 2 out
- Form 4-4239P
- Age 6
- Weight 10-2
- Official Rating 124
- Trainer G Elliott
- Jockey N P Madden
always in rear, never a factor, behind when pulled up before 4 out
- Form 367342
- Age 9
- Weight 10-1
- Official Rating 123
- Trainer C O'Dwyer
- Jockey D J Condon
tracked leaders, 4th before 3 out, soon ridden, weakened straight
- Form 64U615
- Age 7
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 122
- Trainer C A McBratney
- Jockey P F Mangan
tracked leaders, hampered 7 out, ridden in 7th 3 out, weakened
- Form 0U152U
- Age 7
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 122
- Trainer R Hennessy
- Jockey B J Cooper
towards rear, ridden 3 out, kept on one paced straight
- Form 121321
- Age 9
- Weight 9-12
- Official Rating 120
- Trainer G Elliott
- Jockey Paul Carberry
held up towards rear, headway into 8th 3 out, soon ridden, moderate 5th 2 out, went 3rd from last, stayed on well close home
- Form 128524
- Age 10
- Weight 9-12
- Official Rating 120
- Trainer P J Rothwell
- Jockey A P Crowe
mid-division, ridden in 6th 3 out, kept on same pace straight
- Form 4-58772
- Age 6
- Weight 9-12
- Official Rating 120
- Trainer A L T Moore
- Jockey D J Casey
mid-division, 7th 4 out, ridden in 4th next, kept on same pace straight
- Form 3P8291
- Age 8
- Weight 9-11
- Official Rating 119
- Trainer M Hourigan
- Jockey M A Enright
tracked leaders, close up when fell 7 out
- Form 44-5377
- Age 10
- Weight 9-11
- Official Rating 119
- Trainer R P Burns
- Jockey D E Splaine
tracked leaders, hampered and unseated rider 7 out
- Form 13F-618
- Age 10
- Weight 9-10
- Official Rating 104
- Trainer C Cannon
- Jockey Adrian Heskin
always behind, never a factor, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
In depth
Verdict
Twinlight has been holding his own in much better company this season and top weight shouldn't prevent another prominent showing from Willie Mullins' talented course and distance winner. Lead Kindly Light and Uncle Tom Cobley have been thereabouts of late while Barneys Honour arrives in terrific form having won again at Wexford six days ago. Darenjan, A Fine Young Man and Paddy O Dee are others coming off the back of recent victories but this may be too competitive for Zoe Davison's veteran Nozic nowadays while Plan A has an absence to overcome. Miradane and Beneficial Spirit certainly shouldn't be ignored but HARPSY CORD is long overdue another success and showed signs of a revival at Gowran last month under a big weight. He's preferred to Far Away So Close and gets a tentative vote.
Formwatch
Twinlight (FR) 3-1 (11-10) Held up in rear, closer in 4th 3 out, soon ridden, went moderate 3rd 2 out, soon no extra, dropped to 4th run-in, 4th of 7, 18l behind Dedigout (11-2) at Naas 2m 4f nov chs Grd 3 (1) sft in Mar.
Far Away So Close (IRE) 9-1 (11-7) Chased clear leader in 3rd, moderate 4th early straight, kept on one pace without threatening, 4th of 10, 12l behind Carlowsantana (10-1) at Fairyhouse 2m 1f nov chs.
Harpsy Cord (IRE) 7-1 (11-5) Prominent throughout, in front into straight, headed and no impression from 2 out, kept on same pace, 4th of 14, 7l behind Competitive Edge (10-10) at Gowran Park 2m 2f hcp chs hvy in Mar.
Lead Kindly Light (IRE) 14-1 (11-0) Held up in last, ridden in last from 3 out, went moderate 3rd 2 out, kept on one paced, 3rd of 4, 11l behind Foildubh (11-4) at Fairyhouse 2m 1f chs Grd 2 (1).
Nozic (FR) 6-1 (11-5) Held up in last trio, steady headway 8th, chasing leaders when hit 4 out, went 3rd and pressed leaders 3 out, no extra next, 4th of 9, 18l behind Olympian Boy (10-4) at Sandown 2m hcp chs 0-130 (3) gd in Feb.
Plan A (IRE) 7-1 (11-11) Soon mid-division, no extra from 5 out, pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by Sole Witness (11-6) at Navan 2m 4f hcp chs 0-130 hvy in Dec, 15 ran.
Uncle Tom Cobley (IRE) 3-1fav (10-13) Chased leader, led before 5th, clear 6 out, bad mistake 3 out and reduced advantage, ridden and headed entering straight, no impression winner before last, 2nd of 9, 8l behind Darenjan (10-13) at Thurles 2m hcp chs gd.
Hidden Future (IRE) 12-1 (10-11) Towards rear, some headway into moderate 3rd 2 out, soon no extra and dropped to 5th before last, 5th of 10, 14l behind Carlowsantana (10-1) at Fairyhouse 2m 1f nov chs.
Mister First (FR) 25-1 (10-0) In rear, blundered and unseated rider 14th, in a race won by Triolo D'Alene (10-7) at Aintree 2m 5f hcp chs G3 (1) gs, 29 ran.
Barneys Honour (IRE) 5-2fav (11-5) Mid-division, pushed along into 7th after 4 out, ridden in 5th 2 out, stayed on to challenge approaching last, upsides when left in lead last, kept on well run-in, won at Wexford 2m 4f hcp hdl 8Evens23 sft beating Paco Jack (10-7) by 4l, 14 ran.
Beneficial Spirit (IRE) 6-1 (9-7) Waited with towards rear, headway in 7th approaching straight, ridden into 3rd before last, soon no impression, kept on same pace, 4th of 14, 4 1/2l behind Byerley Babe (11-0) at Cork 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-140 in Mar.
Pass The Hat 3-1fav (10-6) Towards rear, left moderate 6th 2 out, ridden and headway to go 3rd before last, 2nd run-in and kept on without troubling winner, 2nd of 10, 7l behind Carlowsantana (10-1) at Fairyhouse 2m 1f nov chs.
A Fine Young Man (IRE) 7-2fav (11-9) Soon led, joined before 2 out, soon in front again and stayed on well run-in to draw clear, won at Cork 2m beg chs in Mar beating Stradbally (11-7) by 4l, 13 ran.
Mahrajaan (USA) 14-1 (11-0) Chased leaders, dropped to 8th before straight, soon no impression, 7th of 11, 13l behind Caheronaun (10-10) at Limerick 2m 3f hcp chs gd.
Deputy Consort (USA) 12-1 (11-7) Held up behind, pushed along before 5 out, never dangerous, last of 8, well behind Jack The Gent (11-12) at Kelso 2m 1f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gs.
De Valira (IRE) 33-1 (10-5) Reluctant at start, in rear, ridden in 11th 3 out, no extra, 9th of 22, 7l behind Captain Arceus (10-9) at Fairyhouse 2m ext hcp hdl.
Darenjan (IRE) 11-1 (10-13) Chased leaders, 5th halfway, headway into 3rd 4 out, 2nd next, improved to lead entering straight, ridden and kept on well from before last, stretched clear run-in, won at Thurles 2m hcp chs gd beating Uncle Tom Cobley (10-13) by 8l, 9 ran.
Miradane 14-1 (11-2) Tracked leaders, 4th 4 out, no impression from next, behind when mistake last, last of 7, well behind Dedigout (11-2) at Naas 2m 4f nov chs Grd 3 (1) sft in Mar.
Paddy O Dee 3-1fav (10-13) Made all, clear travelling well 3 out, stayed on strongly from last, not extended, won at Downpatrick 2m 2f hcp hdl 80-109 gd beating World Citizen (9-12) by 6l, 8 ran.