15:05 Punchestown

Monday 3 February 2025

All13:0013:3014:0014:3015:0515:4016:1016:40

Ladbrokes Play '1-2-Free' On Football Novice Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:05 | Winning time: 5m 17.08s

1^st

Duffys Hodey

810-7

7/2

T: P J RothwellJ: Tiernan Power Roche (5)

Towards rear, in rear at 3rd where slight mistake, 7th after 5th, good headway on outer after 2 out, stayed on in 2nd before last, led run-in, ran on well op 4/1 tchd 3/1

2^nd

Balko D'ange

511-12

9/4f

T: P FentonJ: Niall Moore (7)

Soon led, disputed after 1st, headed before 4th where not fluent, led after 5th, mistake 4 out, reduced lead before 3 out, attempted to assert before last where mistake and pecked, headed run-in, no extra op 3/1 tchd 7/2

3^rd

1 ¾

Duke Silver

510-10

11/2

T: J P O'BrienJ: R Deegan

Rear of mid-division, 5th after 5th, headway in 2nd before 2 out, dropped to 3rd before last where not fluent, one paced run-in op 9/2

4^th

1 ¼

The Story So Far

711-10

7/1

T: C ByrnesJ: P Byrnes

Soon tracked leader, disputed after 1st, not fluent at 2nd, led narrowly before 4th, not fluent at 5th and headed, not fluent at 7th, 3rd before 2 out, lost place before last, kept on same pace to 4th on line op 8/1 tchd 11/2 and 9/1

5^th

Jacovec Cavern

611-7

11/1

T: P HennessyJ: D E Mullins

Prominent early, soon held up in rear, towards rear at 3rd, 6th after 5th, no impression in 5th before last where mistake, soon 4th, dropped to 5th on line op 9/1

6^th

Butcher Hollow

611-8

15/2

T: T CooperJ: S W Flanagan

Soon in touch, not fluent at 1st, took closer order before 4th, not fluent at 5th, 3rd after 5th, 4th before 2 out, no impression before last, weakened closing stages tchd 7/1 and 10/1

7^th

Birmingham Alabama

611-3

5/1

T: E D DelanyJ: J C Gainford

Soon mid-division, 4th after 5th, took closer order in 4th after 7th, dropped to 5th 2 out, in rear approaching straight, no extra before last, weakened run-in tchd 9/2

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Non-Runners

Dumb Love¹⁷

Weight: 10-10| Age: 5

T: Gerard O'Leary J: M J M O'Sullivan

Jacob's Ladder¹⁶

Weight: 11-12| Age: 6

T: G Elliott J: Sam Ewing

Betting Breakdown

Tote Win:€4.60Pl:€2.00, €1.80EX:€11.80Trifecta:€51.90Tricast:€42.37SF:€12.75

Forecasts

Balko D'ange (9/4), Duffys Hodey (7/2), Jacob's Ladder (9/2), Birmingham Alabama (5/1), Duke Silver (11/2), The Story So Far (7/1), Butcher Hollow (15/2), Jacovec Cavern (11/1), Dumb Love (12/1)

Cases can be made for several of these, with BALKO D'ANGE the pick on the back of his breakthrough success at Limerick where he shaped as though stepping up to this trip would be no bad thing. The 5-y-o has been handed a fair-looking mark for this handicap debut and he is preferred to Duke Silver, who shaped well in a big-field Leopardstown handicap on Boxing Day. Birmingham Alabama and likely improver Jacob's Ladder are also accorded respect.