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13:35 PUNCHESTOWN – YOU SAY NOTHING
YOU SAY NOTHING can follow up his victory at Down Royal just before Christmas to land this qualified riders handicap hurdle for trainer Gavin Cromwell. The six-year-old was unlucky when falling at Fairyhouse in early November, before disappointing when sent off favourite at Cork later that month. He returned from a break to win readily under a good ride from Conor McNamara at Down Royal and runs off an 11lb penalty and new rating of 104.
Joey Dunne takes off 2lbs today and gets another ride from Cromwell after the 17-year-old recorded his first-winner with Delirious Love back in November. Elsewhere, Spare Brakes warrants some respect following his third-place finish at Limerick over Christmas. The Robert Tyner trained 11-year-old travelled well turning for home before finding little off the bridle, so the drop in trip today should be a positive.
14:10 PUNCHESTOWN – LADY BREFFNI (NAP)
The now Willie Mullins trained LADY BREFFNI has enough lines of solid form in the book to get off the mark over hurdles against her own sex in this 2m 4f contest. Having landed her sole victory to date in a bumper at Downpatrick in 2019, she finished second when previously trained by Joseph O’Brien to Colreevy in a maiden hurdle at Limerick later that year. Colreevy has now developed into a fine novice chaser having landed the big Grade 1 at Limerick last month.
Another good line of form was her third-place behind Jessica Harrington’s Barrington Court at this venue last February. The J.P McManus mare went on to win four times since, including listed success on the level at Naas last November. Having finished second on her final start for O’Brien in a Grade 3 event at Limerick last March, she moved to Mullins team and returned to action with a fine fourth-place finish behind Flooring Porter at Navan in early December.
It’s another excellent piece of form with The Bosses Oscar in second and Flooring Porter improving further to land the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle for Gavin Cromwell at Leopardstown last month. I would suggest taking an early price on Sunday evening as I’d imagine she’ll be much shorter by Monday morning and will go off a very short-priced odds-on favourite for the Closutton team. The Getaway Star has nice pieces of form for Declan Queally and will battle for a second with Humble Glory.
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14:40 PUNCHESTOWN – ITSNOTINIT (NB)
This 2m 4f handicap hurdle could go down to a battle between two winners from the Christmas festival at Limerick with ITSNOTINIT getting the verdict for Paul Nolan and Bryan Cooper. The eight-year-old showed very little in maiden hurdles behind Fakiera, Ferny Hollow and Master McShee before stepping up in trip and winning in comfortable fashion three-weeks ago. Despite a big rise in the ratings from 94 to 108 today, I think there’s more to come from the lightly raced son of Oscar.
Low Lie The Fields has a similar profile for Henry de Bromhead and has also been raised in the ratings (96 to 104) following his Limerick success over the Christmas period. Rachael Blackmore takes over today after Hugh Morgan gave him a lovely ride and the seven-year-old is a lively contender. Elsewhere, Oneknightmoreihope can reach the frame for Noel Glynn having won at Naas last month with previous bits of form behind Ballyshannon Rose who landed a four-timer on Saturday.
15:15 PUNCHESTOWN – SEAN HOGAN
Brian Acheson is getting rewarded for investing heavily in Irish racing with Bob Olinger, Teahupoo and Gerri Colombe just three lovely winners for his Robcour team over the past week. SEAN HOGAN takes his chance for them in this staying maiden hurdle following two-career starts in the care of Henry de Bromhead. He showed little on debut at Naas last March before returning from a break to finish a decent fifth behind Battle Of Actium.
He’s open to improvement from that run with the second, Fun Light boosting the form with victory in what looked an above-average maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse last Tuesday. The son of Flemensfirth will represent value against both Fantasio D’alene and Mahler Allstar, who have previous pieces of form behind Appreciate It. Pure Genius is another runner to note who should improve for the step up in trip, but Sean Hogan is unexposed and will hopefully cause an upset under Robbie Power.
16:15 PUNCHESTOWN – EYRE SQUARE
Patrick Mullins has been the go-to jockey for Gavin Cromwell in bumpers with three winners from five-runners when teaming up together so far this season. Letsbeclearabout it proved them with two of those wins at Tipperary and here at Punchestown in October and November and they can combine again with EYRE SQUARE in the lucky last today. Having finished second on his point-to-point debut, he finished third to Sayce Gold in a Fairyhouse bumper last November which reads well.
The Mick Winters trained winner went on afterwards to win a maiden hurdle at Thurles and a Grade 3 event at Cork in early December. The son of Doyen returns under rules today having finished third at Borris House in late November and is more than capable of going close to victory. Ardera Ru and Premier Queen meet again having finished second and fourth at Limerick over Christmas, while Cute Cheery runs for Gordon Elliott and Jamie Codd after her second at Cork.
Punchestown Tips:
13:35 PUNCHESTOWN – YOU SAY NOTHING
14:10 PUNCHESTOWN – LADY BREFFNI (NAP)
14:40 PUNCHESTOWN – ITSNOTINIT (NB)
15:15 PUNCHESTOWN – SEAN HOGAN
16:15 PUNCHESTOWN – EYRE SQUARE
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