WILLIE MULLINS:
KLASSICAL DREAM
5yo b g (324P-111)
Dream Well - Klassical Way
Mrs Joanne Coleman
He’s in the Grade 1s over two miles and two and a half miles, and a bit like it was before Cheltenham, we’ll wait to see how the weather effects the ground before making a decision. If it was soft, he’ll likely stick to two miles. He’s been good since Cheltenham and we were obviously delighted with him there.
DOUVAN
9yo b g (11117/F2-)
Walk In The Park - Star Face
Mrs S Ricci
We’ve been happy enough with his progress and we might let him join a couple of others we have in Champion Chase. We’ll just wait and see how the ground is before making a decision. He’d be running for the first time since finishing second to Un De Sceaux in the same race last season, so it would be a bit ask for him.
MIN
8yo b g (224-1151)
Walk In The Park - Phemyka
Mrs S Ricci
He was brilliant at Aintree when we just allowed him to do what he wanted to do. The change in tactics was a big help and it was great to see him win so well. He’s in the Champion Chase along with a couple of others from ours and he’d have to have a big chance back at Punchestown where he has a good record.
GETABIRD
7yo b g (1017P-12)
Getaway - Fern Bird
Mrs S Ricci
He’s in good form and he’s on target for next week. We have him in the Grade 1 novice chases over two miles and three miles and we’ll just wait a little to see how things develop with the ground and with other runners. His form going right-handed is very good and we’re looking forward to seeing him out again.
LAURINA
6yo b m (1111-114)
Spanish Moon - Lamboghina
Sullivan Bloodstock Limited
She has a few options and we’ll wait until closer to the time to make a decision. Ultimately I just think she was too inexperienced when she ran in the Champion Hurdle and that was the determining factor more than anything else. We wouldn’t be deterred from having another go at two miles but the rest of her entries involve her going out in trip.
BACARDYS
8yo b g (FF0-7F6)
Coastal Path - Oasice
Shanakiel Racing Syndicate
He has got a fine record at Punchestown where he won the novices’ Grade 1 over three miles two seasons ago. The Champion Stayers Hurdle would look the obvious race for him again. He’s has a bit of a messy season but he ran okay at Cheltenham and he’s coming back to a course we know he likes.
FOOTPAD
7yo b g (1111-F28)
Creachadoir - Wilamina
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
He’s fine after Cheltenham where he disappointed in the Ryanair Chase (bled from the nose after). He worked very well today (Thursday) and he has a couple of options next week – we haven’t decided yet. He’s in the Champion Chase and the Champion Stayers Hurdle which he was third in two seasons ago.
DUC DES GENIEVRES
6yo gr g (556-2311)
Buck’s Boum - Lobelie
Sullivan Bloodstock Limited
He definitely goes for the Ryanair Novice Chase, the two-mile Grade 1 on Thursday, which is his only entry. We were obviously delighted with him at Cheltenham where he was really impressive in the Arkle. Prior to that we were thinking he might need to come up in trip but he did it so well, we’re happy enough with him at two miles now. Most of his form is on soft ground but I wouldn’t have thought good ground would be a problem for him.
BENIE DES DIEUX
8yo b m (11111-F)
Great Pretender - Cana
Mrs S Ricci
She is fine after her fall in the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham where she looked to have the race near won. That was hugely disappointing but she lives to fight another day. She won the Annie Power Mares’ Champion Hurdle at Punchestown last year and could go back to defend her title there but I wouldn’t be 100% she’ll go definetely go for that. We have lots of options with her and with other mares. We entered her in the Champion Hurdle and Champion Stayers Hurdle as well.
HENRY DE BROMHEAD:
The exciting A Plus Tard is set to come up in trip for the Grade 1 Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase Photo: Healy Racing
A PLUS TARD
5yo b g (31-2121)
Kapgarde - Turboka
Cheveley Park Stud
He is in great form and we’re really happy with him. He was obviously brilliant at Cheltenham and we’re going to give him a chance in a Grade 1 now, coming up to three miles for the Grade 1 novice chase on Tuesday. You never know if they will stay or if they will be as effective over a longer trip until they go and do it but the way he powered up the hill at Cheltenham we’d be hopeful three miles is within his compass. He’s very exciting and we’re looking forward to running him again.
MONALEE
8yo b g (12F-3214)
Milan - Tempest Belle
Barry Maloney
We’re going to give him another try at three miles in the Punchestown Gold Cup. He was going well in the three-mile novice chase at this meeting last season when he fell and we’re keen to give him another try. He ran well at Cheltenham (fourth to Frodon in Ryanair Chase) and he’s been well since.
MOON OVER GERMANY
8yo ch g (0/32741)
Germany - Elea Moon
Philip J Reynolds
We were delighted with him at Aintree where he really enjoyed himself and won really well. I’m not sure if it was just down to letting him out in front, the soft ground could have played a part as well. He’s always been a talent though and hopefully he can progress now. He’s both the two-mile novice Grade 1 and two-mile handicap chase on Thursday and we’ll see how things develop before making a decision on which race he’ll go for.
HONEYSUCKLE
5yo b m (1-1111)
Sulamani - First Royal
Kenneth Alexander
She was brilliant at Fairyhouse and it was great to win a Grade 1 with her after missing Cheltenham – I was very happy for her owner. She has come out of that race really well and so we could let her take her chance in the two-and-half-mile novice hurdle (Grade 1 Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle) but no decision has been made yet.
MINELLA INDO
6yo b g (13-321)
Beat Hollow - Carrigeen Lily
Barry Maloney
We weren’t hugely surprised with him at Cheltenham because we knew he wouldn’t be far away from Allaho on their Clonmel form. He’s a really tough stayer and the stronger pace there suited him well. All being well he goes for the three-mile Grade 1 (Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle) on Wednesday and considering he has only had three starts over hurdles, it would be nice to think he can progress again.
CHRIS’S DREAM
7yo b g (19-1215)
Mahler - Janebailey
Robcour
He was disappointing at Aintree and there was no obvious explanation for it. We’re hoping he is better than that. His previous form to beat Champagne Classic and Any Second Now at Navan is good and if we let him take his chance in the three-mile novice Grade 1 on Tuesday, we’d be hoping for a lot better than what he showed at Aintree.
HARRY FRY:
MINELLA AWARDS
8yo b g (P7-2314)
Oscar - Montys Miss
Masterson Holdings Limited
He hasn’t been seen since November but that’s been the intention – he is a horse that goes well fresh and we decided to keep him for Punchestown. He’s in the Grade 1 novice chase on Tuesday and he’ll get an entry for the handicap chases over three miles and three miles, six furlongs on Saturday. He has a good record at Punchestown where he won a three-mile handicap hurdle two seasons ago and we have him in good order going back over so we’re hopeful.
CAPTAIN DRAKE
6yo b g (35112)
Getaway - Julika
Gary Stevens & Brian and Sandy Lambert
He’ll go for the three-mile handicap hurdle that Minella Awards won, on the Thursday. He’s lightly-raced and has progressed nicely through the season so we’d be hopeful he can do so again at Punchestown.
ONEFORTHEROADTOM
6yo gr g (65662F)
Fair Mix - Ifni Du Luc
J.P. McManus
He’s in the novice handicap chase on Friday and he’ll have an entry in the three-mile handicap chase on Saturday. He might struggle to get into both races off his current rating so we’ll have to wait and see. He was running well before he fell in the race Molly The Dolly won at Ayr two weeks ago. That was a pity but he had run a nice race behind Forth Bridge at Kempton before that and hopefully he’s going in the right direction now.
UNOWHATIMEANHARRY
11yo b g (30-31F80)
Sir Harry Lewis - Red Nose Lady
J.P. McManus
He’ll go back for the Champion Stayers Hurdle, which he won two seasons ago. He has just struggled on his last couple of runs and maybe Punchestown can revitalise him but ultimately, he owes us nothing.
We’ll see how he gets on then make a decision about next season.
DEADRINGERFORLOVE
5yo b m (4481)
Black Sam Bellamy - La Perrotine
Mayoh, Callan, Beese and The Dennys
She’ll take her chance in the listed mares’ novice hurdle on Thursday. She won at Chepstow on her hurdles debut last month and she did it nicely there. This is a big step up for her into listed company but we think she is good enough to do it.
PHILIP HOBBS:
DEFI DU SEUIL
6yo b g (47-51211)
Voix Du Nord - Quarvine Du Seuil
J.P. McManus
We were set to head to Aintree with him but unfortunately he knocked a joint in the lead up and we had to leave him off for a couple of days. He is absolutely fine since then and he’ll run in either the two-mile or three-mile novice Grade 1 chases next week. The determining factor will be the ground and if it was soft, we’d be more likely to go for the two-mile race. He was obviously very good at Cheltenham and we were happy to see Lostintranslation do what he did at Aintree since then.
MUSICAL SLAVE
6yo b g (6/6-6511)
Getaway - Inghwung
J.P. McManus
We were going to run him at Sandown today but decided to take him out because of the ground. He could run at Punchestown now, he’s in the two-mile-five-furlong handicap hurdle on Wednesday. He has won his last two races now and he seems to be progressing.
WAR SOUND
10yo b g (222-1080)
Kayf Tara - Come The Dawn
The Englands And Heywoods
He’s likely to run in the two-and-a-half mile handicap chase on Wednesday. He is a bit of a confusing horse because last season he was really consistent, running second and third all year but not winning, and this year he won really well first time out at Aintree, but has disappointed on his three runs since. He has come down the weights a little since and he handles both sets of ground so hopefully he can run better now.