Coast clear for Hidden Cyclone to make land at Punchestown

Hidden Cyclone keeps knocking the Grade 1 crossbar but appears to have a first-rate chance of securing a first win in 16

months in Sunday’s Grade 2 Punchestown feature.

In seven starts since his last victory, the ‘Shark’ Hanlon trained star has finished runner up in four top-flight races, including when overhauled by Twinlight in the closing stages at Leopardstown over Christmas after looking a likely winner for most of the race.

Also an unlucky loser in the same Dial-A-Bet last season, Hidden Cyclone finished runner up to Sire De Grugy in the Clarence House and Dynaste in the Ryanair in 2014.

Frustrating

It’s an intensely frustrating streak of near-misses for Hanlon, who also has yet to land a Grade 1, and jockey Andrew McNamara who hasn’t secured a top-flight win in more than four years.

But Hidden Cyclone is weighted to reverse Christmas form with Twinlight in the Tied Cottage Chase and two miles looks the best option for this free-wheeling sort who is a 25-1 shot for Champion Chase glory at the Cheltenham festival.

Bryan Cooper has picked wrong from the Gigginstown squad in a number of high-profile events recently but looks to have got it right in selecting Aminabad over All Hell Let Loose in the Listed Novice Hurdle.

All Hell Let Loose failed badly to build on his Royal Bond second at Limerick over Christmas where he didn’t look happy on very soft ground.

Aminabad hasn’t been seen since November when overcoming notable weakness in the market to win at Wexford. It looked underwhelming enough at the time but the runner up Domesday Book wasted no time winning and the sixth, Rathpatrick, has also scored since.

Wide margin

The wide-margin November Handicap winner Open Eagle is an interesting recruit to jumping in the maiden hurdle, while the stone Sword Fish gets from Portrait King can swing the stamina-sapping National Trial the way of Mark Walsh’s mount.