Jumps Racing - Wednesday May 30th 2012

[Edberg]

I'm gonna be very busy at PUNCHESTOWN today: 5.55 BEST LEGEND 2pts to win @ 12/1 bog (Ladbrokes and William Hill) Very consistent horse now trained by SRB Crawford (was with Patrick Heffernan, who is still the owner, until last December). Had a decent career in PTP (3 seconds and 1 third in 2007) and has come good also under rules during this winter with one win, one second, two thirds and one fourth in his last 4 starts this winter. Back from a little break he ran really well again 23 days ago at Down Royal finishing 3rd of 15 in a 2m4f handicap chase on good to firm off 112. Just 1lb higher today and back over his favourite trip. Best Legend won a beginners' chase, his only success so far, over 3m2f at Catterick last January on good to soft beating in a tight finish River D'Or who has bolted up on his second last start at Fontwell off 110 with Dove Hill 4th and beaten 38L that day who has won his second last start at Hexham off 107 and finished second last time out at Perth off 115. Last time out Best Legend made a couple of mistakes on his first run after a 95-day break and on his first start at Down Royal which is a special tricky track. The son of Presenting still ran well finishing third just 4L behind the winner and just a neck behind Dantes King who was the second favourite of that race and the Gordon Elliott-trained horse had won his last start over that C&D and is now rated 128 and today he'll be racing in the feature race of the meeting here at Punchestown). The favourites of this race are Stonemaster and Bundle Of Fun have a couple of big question marks to answer (form after a break and fitness as Stonemaster was withdrawn because found lame before his last intended handicap chase engagement at Kilbeggan) and are too short in the market imho. 6.25 RAPTOR 4pts to win @ 7/4 bog (Betvictor) This seems a match between Slieveardagh and Raptor. Slieveardagh is a bit flattered by his 135 rating. He is a very good and consistent horse but last time out was outclassed by another horse trained by Willie Mullins (Lambro) just like Raptor today. Raptor on the other hand is rated 134 and gets 4lb from his main rival today so is 3lb better in than their official marks would suggest. Raptor has won only twice in his career so far and both wins came here at Punchestown (latest last November over 2m4f on soft ground in a beginners' chase when beating with ease 13 opponents and among them the 132-rated Cadogan and the 133-rated Medical Card, second and fourth that day). Last time out (22 day ago during the Punchestown Festival) Raptor finished 2nd over 2m on soft ground beaten just a nose by Un Hinged who was receiving 9lb by the runner-up (with a mistake at the last that costed probably the success). Money starting to come and that's a good signal and I fully expect an easy win by Raptor. 6.55 LOOSEN MY LOAD 4pts to win @ 8/11 bog (Bet365 and many more) Classy horse who has had a lot of problems but his record is nonetheless impressive: 8 wins (one Grade 2 and one Grade 3), 3 seconds (once in a Grade 1) and 2 thirds in 18 starts. This Potts-owned 8yo gelding has undergone twice to a breathing operation but Henry De Bromhead in a recent stable tour (before the Cheltenham Festival if I remember well) said he has big faith on this horse which is still very lightly raced and is the perfect type for the Grand National maybe in 2013 all going well. Rated 148 Loosen My Load usually runs very well fresh (3 wins and 1 third and 1 fourth in Grade races after similar breaks in the past) and has at least one stone in hand with most of his today's rivals. If he's fine (no doubt why a horse of this profile from such a clever trainer shouldn't) it's gonna be very very hard to beat. 8.25 AKINSPIRIT 2pts to win @ 7/1 bog (Boylesports) Ran very well last time he was seen in this sphere (Aug 2011) finishing 3rd in a little hot handicap hurdle over 2m1f (yielding ground) at Killarney racing off 112 with the winner The Bull Hayes (second yesterday) rated up to 141 (126 that day), the 4th Clarach won last time out off 117 (118 that day), the fifth False Economy has won off 121 over hurdles (rated 132 now) and has finished 3rd in Grade 1 over fences at Fairyhouse (race won by the mighty Flemenstar) and is rated 144 in that sphere now and the sixth Eightybarackstreet has won off 120 since (121 that day) and is now rated 132. Akinspirit had finished 2nd at Cork on his previous start over hurdles (handicap over 2m on good ground off 110) and has already a win at his name in this sphere even if it came in 2009 at Clonmel (maiden over 2m on firm ground ). The horse has never raced over hurdles since last summer but has been kept busy on flat, mainly at Dundalk. In 24 starts on the flat this 8yo by Invincible Spirit has won 6 times and 3 from 7 starts came on the AW at Dundalk where he's won very well last time out (12 days ago) over 1m4f in a handicap off 68 (had won a handicap off 54 over 1m4f on good to firm at Wexford 7 days before that race over hurdles at Killarney). He doesn't handle soft ground and that's the main reason why he's been mainly kept busy on the AW during this winter/spring but he comes here with his best form ever and on his favourite ground he should be able to beat his actual rating over hurdles which is just 114.