Saturday 10 February 2018

Step Up In Trip To Suit Limites At Punchestown


Coeur Blimey never travelled and barely jumped a hurdle fluently, yet he still managed to stay on late for a place for Lucy Gardner. He is clearly a horse with a huge amount of ability, but the cheekpieces had little to no effect on his jumping. In fact, that was probably the worst round of jumping I have seen from him yet, and until his trainer finds a way to improve his hurdling technique he will continue to be a frustrating sort. He is undeniably a well treated horse if he ever does get his act together.

 
Without Limites will relish the heavy ground at Punchestown.

Tomorrow is Grand National Trial day at Punchestown and with bottomless ground forecast the 28.5f trip will take a lot of getting. Liz Doyle has always spoken very highly of her dashing grey 6yo gelding Without Limites, and I think he ran a superb race upped in trip to 25f here last time out on his handicap debut on heavy ground. He was beaten 7L in 3rd off a mark of 128 after attempting to make all the running, but in my opinion it wasn’t a lack of stamina that beat him.

After jumping very well throughout he pecked on landing after jumping the 2nd last and that put him on the back foot immediately. He lost a fair bit of momentum and Finny Maguire had to get busy soon after, but he kept on galloping and didn’t look a tired horse to me. I think he just got outpaced by the first two in the last couple of furlongs after making that mistake and he should be able to travel better for longer over today’s marathon trip.

The handicapper has raised him a pound for that run here last time but he still gets to race off a lovely weight of just 10st 7lbs. The form of his last run has been franked in no uncertain terms by the 4th home, 6L behind Without Limites. Wishmoor won his next start and then followed up at Naas off 7lb higher on Saturday. That would suggest that Without Limites is potentially very well treated on just his second handicap chase start.

Donagh Meyler takes over in the plate and he has form figures of 21 on board this son of Martaline. He has a fine overall record when riding for Doyle too, partnering 5 winners and 8 2nds from just 29 rides. If he can poach an easy lead on Without Limites he could be hard to peg back, and this horse is yet to finish out of the first three in three chasing runs. Hopefully he can continue that sequence on Sunday and at odds of 20/1 an each way bet is advised.


STEVOS’ SELECTION: 16.20 PUNCHESTOWN-WITHOUT LIMITES E/W @ 20/1




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