IE - Punchestown - Race 5

Thoroughbred

4 Runners

16.6f

Group 2 Hurdle

Turf

Soft to Heavy

43.5K

VIEW

Verdict

A small field but an intriguing Grade 2 contest. There has to be more to come from SOBER over hurdles given his Flat ability so he's marginally preferred to Road Exile, who won a big-field novice a month ago, and Free Spirit, a French recruit and now stablemate of the selection.

numberFire Picks

Horse Stats

#/Silk	Horse#/Horse	Power Rating	High Speed	Win %	Top 3%	Win Prob
4	Well backed when winning the Queen Alexandra at Royal Ascot last summer having also landed the odds on hurdles debut for yard prior to that. Open to plenty of progress in this sphere. 1st Pick 4 Sober (Fr) Jockey: P. Townend Trainer: W. P. Mullins, Ireland J: P. Townend T: W. P. Mullins, Ireland	95	-	-	-	42%
Analysis Well backed when winning the Queen Alexandra at Royal Ascot last summer having also landed the odds on hurdles debut for yard prior to that. Open to plenty of progress in this sphere.
3	Bumper winner who left his opening hurdles run well behind when winning 26-runner novice at Navan (16f, heavy) 36 days ago, staying on well. Open to further improvement for his leading yard, particularly as stamina is drawn out. 2nd Pick 3 Road Exile (Ire) Jockey: J. W. Kennedy Trainer: Gordon Elliott, Ireland J: J. W. Kennedy T: Gordon Elliott, Ireland	100	-	-	-	63%
Analysis Bumper winner who left his opening hurdles run well behind when winning 26-runner novice at Navan (16f, heavy) 36 days ago, staying on well. Open to further improvement for his leading yard, particularly as stamina is drawn out.
2	Dam, 10.5f/11.5f winner, half-sister to smart hurdler/top-class chaser (stayed 2½m) Fox Norton. Fairly useful form over hurdles, in hood/tongue strap, won 10-runner 4-y-o event at Dieppe last time by head from Darling de Chamdou. Has left Mlle D. Mele and joined very powerful stable. 3rd Pick 2 Free Spirit (Fr) Jockey: D. E. Mullins Trainer: W. P. Mullins, Ireland J: D. E. Mullins T: W. P. Mullins, Ireland	94	-	-	-	25%
Analysis Dam, 10.5f/11.5f winner, half-sister to smart hurdler/top-class chaser (stayed 2½m) Fox Norton. Fairly useful form over hurdles, in hood/tongue strap, won 10-runner 4-y-o event at Dieppe last time by head from Darling de Chamdou. Has left Mlle D. Mele and joined very powerful stable.

Upcoming Races

Horse Racing Basic Terms

Dead Heat

Two or more horses finishing so close at the wire, that they were unable to be separated on a photo finish and deemed to have tied.

Firm

A dry turf course, equal to a ‘fast’ dirt track.

Starter Race

An allowance race restricted to horses who have started for a certain claiming price recently.