IE - Punchestown - Race 5

Thoroughbred

11 Runners

15.9f

Maiden Hurdle

Turf

Good to Yielding

16.5K

VIEW

Verdict

IT'S ONLY A GAME and Werner are both very interesting hurdling debutants, with Martin Brassil's course bumper winner narrowly shading the vote. Leonard Vallis could also go well second time up over hurdles.

numberFire Picks

Horse Stats

#/Silk	Horse#/Horse	Power Rating	High Speed	Win %	Top 3%	Win Prob	Odds
6	Borderline useful bumper performer who opened his account at this track. Probably best forgiven his run in the Champion Bumper (edgy in the preliminaries) at Cheltenham in March. Could take the beating on hurdling debut, provided first-time hood has the desired effect. 1st Pick 6 It's Only A Game (Fr) Jockey: M. P. Walsh Trainer: Martin Brassil, Ireland J: M. P. Walsh T: Martin Brassil, Ireland	100	-	-	-	31%	Scratched
Analysis Borderline useful bumper performer who opened his account at this track. Probably best forgiven his run in the Champion Bumper (edgy in the preliminaries) at Cheltenham in March. Could take the beating on hurdling debut, provided first-time hood has the desired effect.
10	Sea The Stars gelding. Half-brother to numerous winners, including useful hurdler/chase winner around 2m Wild Max. Dam 1¼m winner on Flat in Germany (also placed in Group 3). Decisive winner on his sole Flat start (1¾m) in Germany last summer. Intriguing newcomer for powerful connections. 2nd Pick 10 Werner (Ger) Jockey: J. W. Kennedy Trainer: Gordon Elliott, Ireland J: J. W. Kennedy T: Gordon Elliott, Ireland	99	-	-	-	29%	5/2
Analysis Sea The Stars gelding. Half-brother to numerous winners, including useful hurdler/chase winner around 2m Wild Max. Dam 1¼m winner on Flat in Germany (also placed in Group 3). Decisive winner on his sole Flat start (1¾m) in Germany last summer. Intriguing newcomer for powerful connections.
8	Runner-up in an ordinary Gowran maiden on hurdling debut last autumn. Since developed into a fairly useful performer in bumpers, winning at Thurles in February prior to finishing fourth in a solid Fairyhouse event. In the conversation if he can translate that improvement to hurdles. 3rd Pick 8 Leonard Vallis (Fr) Jockey: J. P. Shinnick Trainer: Terence O'brien, Ireland J: J. P. Shinnick T: Terence O'brien, Ireland	96	-	-	-	23%	7/2
Analysis Runner-up in an ordinary Gowran maiden on hurdling debut last autumn. Since developed into a fairly useful performer in bumpers, winning at Thurles in February prior to finishing fourth in a solid Fairyhouse event. In the conversation if he can translate that improvement to hurdles.

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Horse Racing Basic Terms

Trifecta

A wager picking the first, second and third horses in the exact order. A trifecta box means paying more to ensure the horses can finish in any order in the top three spots.

Underlay

A horse that is going off at lower odds than it deserves based on performance.

Apprentice

A new jockey who has not ridden a certain number of winners in a specified time period.