Racecards
15:20 Punchestown (IRE)
Surehaul Mercedes-Benz Novice Hurdle (Grade 3) (Class 1)
- 9 Runners
- Distance: 3m
- Going: Heavy
- Surface: Turf
- €35,000 added
- Winner: €21,000
- 2nd: €7,000
- 3rd: €3,500
- 4th: €1,750
- Form 15-1215
- Age 6
- Weight 11-5
- Trainer N Meade
- Jockey Donagh Meyler
mid-division, closer in 4th 4 out, ridden next, moderate 5th 2 out, weakened
Floueur (FR)
31- Form 3111
- Age 5
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 141
- Trainer G Elliott
- Jockey D N Russell
tracked leaders, dropped to 6th and mistake 4 out, ridden in 5th next, moderate 4th 2 out, moderate 4th at last, kept on without threatening to go 3rd inside final furlong
- Form R/521-21
- Age 6
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer H De Bromhead
- Jockey Rachael Blackmore
tracked leader in 2nd, 3rd 5 out, 2nd again 3 out, ridden from next, dropped to moderate 3rd entering straight, soon no impression, moderate 4th inside final furlong
- Form P41-061
- Age 6
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer Mrs J Harrington
- Jockey R M Power
rear of mid-division, ridden 3 out, some modest progress in moderate 7th when clipped heels on landing and fell 2 out
- Form 161-31F
- Age 6
- Weight 11-2
- Official Rating 131
- Trainer G Elliott
- Jockey Mark Walsh
tracked leaders, slight mistake 7th and briefly pushed along, disputed lead 5 out, led after 4 out, pushed along after 2 out, strongly pressed and ridden at last, stayed on well under pressure inside final furlong
- Form 3/1333
- Age 6
- Weight 11-2
- Official Rating 135
- Trainer W P Mullins
- Jockey D E Mullins
led, mistake 2nd, joined 5 out, ridden and headed after 4 out, weakened 3 out, in rear when badly hampered 2 out, no impression
- Form 2-12112
- Age 7
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 133
- Trainer M Fahey
- Jockey Ricky Doyle
towards rear, bad mistake 8th, closer 8th 3 out, soon ridden, went remote 5th after last, never a factor
- Form 2-1
- Age 5
- Weight 10-13
- Trainer W P Mullins
- Jockey Paul Townend
mid-division, headway into 3rd 3 out, went 2nd after 2 out, ridden in close 2nd approaching last, no impression on winner inside final furlong, kept on under pressure close home
- Form P-32F18
- Age 6
- Weight 10-9
- Trainer H De Bromhead
- Jockey Mr T Hamilton
always behind, slight mistake 6th, pushed along briefly 6 out, ridden and weakened from 3 out
In depth
Verdict
LORD ROYAL, runner-up on the Flat in his only start in France in 2018, looked a very smart recruit to hurdling when scoring by 33 lengths on testing ground at Clonmel and puts his Ballymore credentials to the test, which he should pass with flying colours. He won't have things his own way this time with unbeaten hurdler Floueur in opposition and Gordon Elliott's charge will love the conditions. His stable companion Run Wild Fred battled to victory at Navan and was still in the lead when falling two out at Thurles but the selection's stablemate Vis Ta Loi was well beaten in the latter event. Well Set Up landed a Grade 3 at Cork over this trip but couldn't cope with Fury Road in a Grade 2 at Limerick in December.
Formwatch
Battle Of Midway (IRE) 4-1 (11-3) Chased leaders, 3rd halfway, ridden before straight, no extra before 3 out, weakened, 5th of 6, dist behind Well Set Up (10-10) at Cork 3m (1) sft in Dec.
Floueur (FR) 4-1 (11-12) Led, headed halfway, 3rd 4 out, challenged 3 out, soon disputed, ridden before last, edged ahead run-in, kept on well to assert closing stages, won at Navan 2m 2f Soft - Heavy in Jan beating Cayd Boy (11-9) by 2 1/4l, 5 ran.
Fully Charged 11-8fav (11-8) Tracked leader, not fluent 1st, disputed from 2nd, slight mistake 4th, led 8th, 3 length advantage travelling well when not fluent 2 out, asserted before last, pushed out hands and heels on run-in, easily, won at Limerick 2m 5f mdn hvy in Dec beating Silk Worm (10-11) by 22l, 11 ran.
Mr Hendricks (IRE) 18-1 (11-12) Prominent, jumped left 1st, soon led, headed before 6th, regained lead before straight, ridden after 3 out, kept on well under pressure from before last, won at Navan 2m 4f mdn Soft - Heavy in Jan beating Village Mystic (11-12) by 1 1/2l, 16 ran.
Run Wild Fred (IRE) 14-1 (11-5) Tracked leader, hampered 1st, 2nd halfway, led 3 out, pushed along entering straight, strongly pressed when fell 2 out, at Thurles 2m 6f Yielding in Jan.
Vis Ta Loi (FR) 9-2 (11-5) Led, jumped left and bumped rival 1st, headed 3 out and soon pushed along, lost place entering straight and left 3rd 2 out, ridden and no impression approaching last, 3rd of 6, 23 1/4l behind Monkfish (11-5) at Thurles 2m 6f Yielding in Jan.
Well Set Up (IRE) 7-2 (10-13) Chased leaders, pushed along approaching straight, 2nd between last 2, kept on without reaching winner run-in, 2nd of 8, 1l behind Fury Road (11-6) at Limerick 2m 7f (1) hvy in Dec.
Lord Royal (FR) 4-5fav (11-10) Chased leader, slight mistake 4th, disputed from 7th, led next, asserted before 2 out, clear before last, reached for last, easily, won at Clonmel 2m 4f mdn hvy in Jan beating Farmix (11-10) by 33l, 17 ran.
Sailingtobyzantium (IRE) 16-1 (10-11) Always towards rear, never a factor, pushed along and no impression after 4 out, weakened, 8th of 9, dist behind Ard Abhainn (10-11) at Thurles 2m lst (1) Yielding in Jan.