SHARK HANLON
HIDDEN CYCLONE
(/113111/13/1186F-213222)
5.30 Tuesday - Boylesports Champion Chase
He ran a cracker at Cheltenham and we had thought about letting him off for the summer, but he has been in super form since and as the ground hasn’t dried out too much, he’ll take his chance on Tuesday. He has been a super horse for me and he deserves to win a Grade 1 and hopefully he’ll go very close next week. He jumped super at Cheltenham and he proved at Leopardstown at Christmas time that he is every bit as good over two miles.
MICK CHANNON
SGT RECKLESS
(1100-313142)
4.20 Tuesday - Herald Champion Novice Hurdle
He is all set to go and he wants good ground so I hope they don’t water. We are looking forward to coming and he and Somersby will be my first horses to run over jumps in Ireland. He has been in good form and he has come out of his race well at Aintree. He ran very well at Cheltenham and while I am not sure if we’ll beat Willie’s horse, we’ll give it a go - you won’t win anything by keeping them at home.
SOMERSBY
(/33253/1224172/34U-12U2)
5.30 Tuesday - Boylesports Champion Chase
With Sire De Grugy set to run at Sandown, this looked the obvious race to go for. He ran very well at Cheltenham and he is a very good horse. It looks competitive and so it should be for the money on offer. Gary’s horse had beaten him three times this year so our horse goes to Punchestown with a big chance.
NICKY HENDERSON
LONG RUN
(/311/2213/2132-54U1F)
5.30 Wednesday - Bibby Financial Services Punchestown Gold Cup
He schooled earlier this week and he jumped great and that went really well and he has been fine since Aintree. He likes good ground and we are keen to travel and he will take his chance in the Gold Cup.
GORDON ELLIOTT
TIGER ROLL
(-121)
4.25 Saturday - AES Champion 4YO Hurdle
He has improved since he came to us and he was very good at Cheltenham. We had thought about going to Aintree with him but we have kept him for next week and the extra couple of weeks since Cheltenham will be a help - he had a hard race over there. He likes good ground and he jumped great at Cheltenham. His work has been good since and he should run a very big race.
DON COSSACK
(5111/1F23-1212F2)
6.40 Tuesday - Growise Champion Novice Chase
He was unfortunate to come down at Cheltenham but he jumped great at Aintree and he just met one that was too good for him over there. He is good and fresh but he has been on the go all season so you just hope that this isn’t one run too many for him. In saying that it is just down the road and he will have a good summer break and with a bit of luck he’ll get into the shake up again.
VALMY BAIE
(6332-31)
He won what looked a good race the last day at Fairyhouse and he had a few options since, but we have kept him for next week. He is working well and while he has to up his game again next week, he goes there with every chance and I don’t think he’ll mind the likely better ground. He is a nice prospect and I think he’ll run a good race.
TOM TAAFFE
ARGOCAT
(7319/7121015-F613)
5.30 Wednesday - Bibby Financial Services Punchestown Gold Cup
I wouldn’t say that he surprised me at Aintree as we felt earlier on this year that he might be a Gold Cup horse. He got a bad fall at Down Royal and that set us back a good bit but he won well at Gowran on ground that was too soft for him. He went to Aintree and he was only beaten three lengths and he has come out of that race very well. He did a bit on Wednesday morning and he is where I want him. I just hope the ground is not too soft next week. I would be expecting him to run a big race.
CONOR O’DWYER
COMPETITIVE EDGE
(24110/975U36110P-7B222F)
6.40 Wednesday - Guinness Handicap Steeplechase
4.15 Thursday - Three.ie Handicap Steeplechase
He has the choice of the two mile or the two and a half mile handicap chase and assuming the ground is not fast, he will run in either one. He has been a great money spinner for us this season. He was going a shade faster than he would have liked in the Grand Annual when he came down. He has been fine since and he has schooled great so if he gets his ground, he goes there with his chance.
FRANK BERRY
RACING MANAGER
JP MCMANUS
JEZKI
(118/111131-11241)
5.30 Friday - Racing Post Champion Hurdle
He has been in great form since Cheltenham and everything came right for him on the day. He loved the better ground over there and hopefully he will get his ground again next week. It looks a very competitive race but he should give a good account of himself.
AT FISHERS CROSS
(1125/111111-4U232)
5.30 Thursday - Ladbrokes Series World Hurdle
He has run well at both Cheltenham and Aintree and Rebecca [Curtis] tells me that he is in good form, so the plan is that he’ll travel. He has had two hard races over the last month but he is a tough horse and three miles around Punchestown should be fine for him. Hopefully he’ll run a big race.
CARLINGFORD LOUGH
(/61133574PP-21221U6)
6.40 Tuesday - Growise Champion Novice Chase
He has been on the go for a while, but John [Kiely] has been happy with him and he will go for the three mile novice chase next week. He has loads of experience and that should stand to him. Hopefully it won’t be one race too many for him and he goes there with his chance.
PHILIP ROTHWELL
BENEFICIAL SPIRIT
(01285246-426082P35)
He has a couple of options. If the ground is soft, he’ll go for the two mile chase and if it is good, he might go for a handicap hurdle. He is in very good form and he might get into one of those with a nice weight on his back. It wouldn’t surprise me were he to run a big race.
PADDY O’DEA
(716777F8811-P58700)
2.30 Saturday - The Irish Field Cross Country Chase
He will go for the cross country chase next Saturday. He has been a great servant and he has taken well to the cross country fences. He has won over two and two and a half miles and they tend not to go too fast in those races so he should get the trip. He went to Punchestown last week to get his eye in over the banks, so he goes there a contender.
BOTTLE RATTLER
(1707507-4142P9)
6.05 Thursday - Naas Court Hotel And Il Fico Restaurant Handicap Hurdle
He wants a bit of nice ground and if he gets his conditions he’ll go for the three mile handicap hurdle. He seems to be in super form and while it looks a very competitive race, he should give a good account of himself.
STUART CRAWFORD
MISTER NIBBLES
(1421-62215U)
5.25 Saturday - Setanta Sports Handicap Hurdle
He might go for a two and a half mile hurdle next week. He has won his maiden hurdle well and was in contention only to fall the last day at Ayr. He has been fine since and he won’t mind the ground. He is a horse that we like.
SULTANA BELLE
(U9400-26343317344)
She will go for a mares’ handicap hurdle and we are looking forward to running her. She has done well for us and she has been very consistent. She looks as if she will have a nice weight on her back and while this looks a tough race, she seems to be in super form at home and she looks capable of a big run.
DESSIE HUGHES
GUITAR PETE
(-12121131)
4.25 Saturday - AES Champion 4YO Hurdle
He has been unbelievable and I didn’t think coming away from Aintree that we’d be able to run him again, but he is very well in himself and he’ll take his chance in the four-year-old hurdle next week. There are not too many four-year-olds that can run at Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown but I think he will be able for it. He has been in unbelievable shape since he came back and he goes there with his chance but it won’t be easy and Tiger Roll will be hard to beat again.
ART OF PAYROLL
(0-1454166)
4.20 Tuesday - Herald Champion Novice Hurdle
He has done well enough for us this season but he was a bit disappointing last week at Fairyhouse but he didn’t appear to have too hard a race there so he will take his chance next week.
LYREEN LEGEND
(/913122133/12F423-556)
5.30 Wednesday - Bibby Financial Services Gold Cup
He is a definite runner next week and hopefully Paul [Carberry] will be able to ride him again for me. He hit the second last very hard at Cheltenham and that knocked the stuffing out him a bit. Paul felt that they didn’t go quick enough for him but he has been good and fresh since and he’ll take his chance. They really only quickened over the last three that day and if he had jumped the second last a bit better, he would have gone a good bit closer. He has a chance next week.
LIEUTENANT COLONEL
(-121261)
6.05 Friday - Tattersalls Ireland Champion Novice Hurdle
He has improved this spring and he ran well at Cheltenham and he was very good at Fairyhouse. He has been in good shape since and he goes on any ground. He is back up to Grade 1 company and while Willie’s horse will be very hard to beat, my horse is improving and he should run a good race.
SOME TIKKET
(O116-F651U51)
6.40 Thursday - Ryanair Novice Chase
He won very well at Fairyhouse and he was due that and he has been a bit unlucky this season. He doesn’t need soft ground and Punchestown always produces perfect ground so he’ll run next week. He has a couple of options and he might go for the Grade 1 next Thursday. He has come out of Fairyhouse in great form. That was a few weeks ago and he seems to be very well in himself.
WILLIE MULLINS
HURRICANE FLY
(/1111/1131/11111-11140)
5.30 Friday - Racing Post Champion Hurdle
I think he is in good form and he probably wasn’t at his best at Cheltenham. He seldom runs a bad race around Punchestown and it has been a lucky track for him. He will take his chance next week. He is in good shape and he is working well at home.
ON HIS OWN
(/414P1/B1F/1F5-1766112)
BOSTON BOB
(/31/1112/11FF-1661)
5.30 Wednesday - Bibby Financial Services Punchestown Gold Cup
They will both go for the Gold Cup. Boston Bob was very good at Aintree and he deserves to take his chance next week. He seems to be in good shape and that is the plan for him. He has come out of Aintree in good form. On His Own ran a fantastic race in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham. He has had plenty of time to recover from that and he will also go for the Gold Cup. We had planned to aim at the National, but after he won the Bobbyjo, we felt that was a Gold Cup performance and but for the bob of a head over there, he may have won. It will be a tough race to win but he has been in good form at home and he has improved this season.