Peter Maher out to blow his cross-country rivals away with Hurricane Darwin

1.20 Punchestown
P.P. Hogan Memorial Cross Country Chase | 3m1f | 5yo+ | RTV

It’s not easy keeping tabs with Enda Bolger in the cross-country division but Peter Maher has done a fine job in recent seasons and the Cheltenham Festival-winning trainer is well represented in his bid to win this contest for a third time.

Ballyboker Bridge landed back-to-back runnings of this race for the trainer in 2015 and 2016 and the 13-year-old, who proved he still has an appetite for the game when winning last year's La Touche Cup, is back for more.

However, Maher might be relying on younger legs this time around and puts forward ten-year-old Hurricane Darwin, partnered by Kevin Sexton, as his best chance.

Storming home: Hurricane Darwin registers a smooth success under Denis O’Regan for former connectionsCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

“I'm swaying towards Hurricane Darwin,” the trainer said when asked for his best chance. “He travelled better than anything but just didn't stay at Cheltenham. He has a bit of class and that goes a long way in these banks races.

"Ballyboker Bridge is in good form as well and will come on from the run at Cheltenham. They are both ground dependent, though, as both of them want nice ground."

Of their rivals Maher added: “Yanworth will be hard to beat but I wouldn't be ruling out Josies Orders either. He had colic during the summer and, when I saw him at Cheltenham, he was fat as a fool – he looked like a mare going to foal.

“Neverushacon has taken to these races well as well. It's a good little race. Change Your Story doesn't have much hope. He's being aimed at the Ladies Cup at the Punchestown festival and we're just hoping he gives young Sean O'Keeffe a nice spin.”

Yanworth: likely to start a short-priced favouriteCredit: Getty Images

Yanworth, who beat most of these rivals on his banks debut here in November, reappears after falling at Cheltenham in December but Bolger reports him to be in fine form.

He said: “Through experience, I know it always takes them a run around Cheltenham to get the hang of the place and Yanworth got it wrong there when he fell in December, but he'd won here before that. He's back doing good work and is in good nick, so I'd be hoping for a good show.”

Bolger added: “We've had to take things slowly with Josies Orders and he's taken a run or two, but he's getting a bit long in the tooth and I'd say Yanworth is our main hope.”

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