PUNCHESTOWN (29 Apr 2005)

Soft

4:20 Menolly Homes Champion Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) (4yo+)

[off 4:20] £43,971.63, £13,475.18, £6,382.98, £2,127.66, £1,418.44 2m4f

Comments In Running OR TS RPR

1 Asian Maze Thomas Mullins 6 11-7 P Carberry 6/4F 144 — —

2 5 Kerryhead Windfarm Michael Hourigan 7 11-12 Andrew J McNamara 25/1 — —

3 3½ Washington Lad P A Fahy 5 11-11 A P McCoy 7/1 — —

4 3 Petertheknot Patrick Sinnott 7 11-12 C O´Dwyer 14/1 132 — —

5 ½ Bagan (FR) C J Mann 6 11-12 N Fehily 14/1 — —

6 13 Major Vernon W P Mullins 6 11-12 R Walsh 6/1 — —

7 Sher Beau Philip Fenton 6 11-12 D N Russell 7/2 132 — —

8 Keepthedreamalive (GB) R H Buckler 7 11-12 B Hitchcott 50/1 121 — —

9 Letterman E J O´Grady 5 11-11 T G M Ryan 40/1 — —

10 Macs Flamingo P A Fahy 5 11-11 B J Geraghty 12/1 123 — —

PU Django Mrs John Harrington 6 11-12 R M Power 40/1 — —

11 ran TIME 4m 56.10s (slow by 13.10s) TOTAL SP 120%

NON RUNNER: Royal Paradise (FR)

1st OWNER: Mrs C A Moore BRED: Mrs C A Moore TRAINER: Thomas Mullins

2nd OWNER: James R Browne

3rd OWNER: Garrafrauns Syndicate

TOTE WIN £2.40 PL £1.50, £7.40, £1.80; Ex £104.20; CSF £47.35

ANALYSIS: ASIAN MAZE has been a revelation this season and she crowned a fine campaign with another all-the-way win and a second success at Grade 1 level following her success over three miles at Aintree early this month. Setting a decent pace, she jumped wellthroughout and, after increasing her advantage three out, she went clear at the second last to win a lot more easily than the five-length margin might suggest.

Trainer Tom Mullins said: "She is very good. There are no firm plans for later in the year, but we could decide to dabble with her over two miles at some stage."

Kerryhead Windfarm's two hurdle wins were achieved over this course and trip and he again showed his liking for the track with a good performance here. He went third after twoout and stayed on to go second nearing the final hurdle. He kept plugging away, but the winner was eased considerably on the run in.

Washington Lad, the only horse to have beaten Asian Maze over hurdles this season, had been found to have mucus in his lungs when disappointing at Cheltenham last month. He ran a better race here, but his jumping was less than fluent and, after going second before four out, he was sloppy three out and again at the second last, by which stage the winner had gone beyond recall.

Petertheknot has won only once over hurdles, but he has been pretty consistent and again performed creditably here. Ridden along after five out, he edged into second place before the second last but could only keep on at the one pace thereafter.

Bagan, a dual winner this season and runner-up to Mephisto on his previous start at Ayr, raced in rear before making headway from four out. He was a moderate fourth before the final hurdle but was never in serious contention.

Sher Beau, unbeaten in three starts over hurdles, made a mistake at the seventh and was unable to make any impression from three out. He was found to have a slight upper respiratory tract infection after the race.