SNUG STILL HALLRIGHT
Age shouldn’t hamper Cusack’s great veteran
SNUGSBOROUGH HALL can defy his advancing years in the featured Ladbrokes Committed To Safe Gambling Handicap Chase at Punchestown this afternoon.
Liam Cusack’s charge is now in the twilight of his career at the age of 11 but he is still capable of smart form.
Indeed, he lines up with perhaps the strongest piece of recent form on offer having finished a fine third to Royal Rendezvous in a €100,000 handicap chase here last month.
If he can repeat that course and distance effort he looks capable of seeing off the unexposed Fire Attack.
Another runner worth a mention is Gordon Elliott’s Old Town Garde who shaped up well in a novice chase at Killarney a fortnight ago.
The card should begin with a maiden hurdle success for the useful mare Beyond Ambitious.
She defied huge odds to reach the frame in a Grade 3 bumper at this track last month before following up with a victory at Wexford. She lacks previous jumping experience but she is still preferred to Mitiva who lines up off a respectable third in a maiden hurdle at Cork earlier in the month.
The other maiden hurdle might fall to the Gordon Elliott-trained Salvador Ziggy who is making his debut for the trainer.
The lady rider’s handicap hurdle looks an excellent opportunity for Tony Martin’s Rebellious Gale to follow up his win at Limerick on Thursday evening.
On that occasion he appeared to win with plenty in hand and a seven pounds penalty may not be enough to prevent him from following up.
He will have most to fear from Shantou Lucky who has been chasing lately but did win over hurdles here during the winter.
In the three-mile handicap hurdle Direct Image is
put forward to bring up a five-timer for Robert Tyner.
This mare returned in great shape from a seven-month break to bolt up in a Tipperary handicap hurdle recently. She does have to deal with a 12lb rise in the weights but still makes plenty of appeal.
Everglow showed some useful form over fences in the winter and he could land the beginners’ chase.