This Novice Hurdle (Grade 3) should draw plenty of interest on Tuesday afternoon from Punchestown. This is a class 1 run over 3m. There is a field of nine in contention for the honours in the race and it is Lord Royal who has been shaping up as the one to beat. He looks as if he is heading to the start line as the odds-on favourite.
Punchestown 15:20 Race Odds*
Lord Royal 8/11
Floueur 3/1
Fully Charged 17/1
Run Wild Fred 11/1
Vis Ta Loi 20/1
Battle Of Midway 33/1
Mr Hendricks 33/1
Sailingtobyzantium 100/1
* (betting odds taken from bet365 on February 17th, 2020 at 21:35)
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Table of Contents
Lord Royal to reign at Punchestown?
Lord Royal delivered a win on his maiden hurdle effort just last month. He had gone off in the race as the 4/5 favourite and totally stormed the field at Clonmel, winning 33l. The only thing there for the Willie Mullins-trained charge is that he really didn’t have a contest there. On the flip side, it showed that he is probably ready to step up in class and he is 8/11 favourite on Tuesday* (betting odds taken from bet365 on February 17th, 2020 at 21:35)
Floueur
Floueur is certainly bringing some nice form to the table. The five-year-old has won his last three races. The most recent of those was a 4/1 hurdle success at Navan at 2m 2f. He hasn’t won above that distance before, so he is going to seriously be tested at the trip on Tuesday at 3m.
The Gordon Elliot-trained charge is unbeaten over the hurdles and should be able to lay down challenge in these conditions however and is a very nice 3/1 price* (betting odds taken from bet365 on February 17th, 2020 at 21:35)
Wild Fred
Wild Fred is a stablemate to Floueur so Gordon Elliot has a couple of hands in this race. He was a faller on his last run. He had been a 14/1 poke at a 2m 6f contest at Thurles. Wild Fred had jumped the last in the race but then fell.
That mishap did come straight after a race win, however, which was at Navan over 2m 4f. There’s good experience there and no too bad form either and should be enough to appeal at 11/1 each-way* (betting odds taken from bet365 on February 17th, 2020 at 21:35).
Fully Charged and Well Set Up
Fully Charged is a former distance winner and the six-year-old has form. He won his last race, which was at 2m 5f in December at Limerick. That was his hurdle maiden as well from a position of 11/8 favourite. He thumped second-placed Silk Worm by 22 lengths.
Well Set Up is another in decent form, so this makes for a really intriguing contest. She just missed out on three straight wins with a second place in a Novice Hurdle at Limerick at 2m 7f just in December.
Well Set Up has won three hurdles and an NH flat from 1m 7f to 3m so has the proven distance in her. She hasn’t been outside of the top two in any of her last five runs either.
The rest of the runners
Sailingtobyzantium was eighth of nine on her last run. She was well beaten in that race. She won a maiden hurdle at Clonmel in December. Vis Ta Loi has taken three third-place finishes. The six-year was last out at Thurles in January at 2m 6f.
Mr Hendricks comes back to action after a win at Navan in a maiden hurdle in January. That was at 2m 4f and from a position of 18/1. Battle Of Midway was a fifth-place finisher in a Stayers Novice Hurdle at Cork at the 3m distance in December. He was behind Well Set Up in that contest.
Predictions & Tips
Lord Royal looks to be an exciting youngster and made an impressive hurdling debut. He is now in graded company for the first time and takes on an extra half a mile. It will be a fascinating watch.
There are very good claims coming in from the Gorden Elliot duo of Floueur and Run Wild Fred. They both pique some interest, the latter from an each-way perspective.
Floueur has a clear form and is unbeaten over the hurdles. Again this is all a question of distance as he enters the 3m territory for the first time. The conditions at Punchestown may just seem him get up enough to win.
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