O’Sullivan eyeing Boodles with Slurricane after jumping breakthrough

Ross O’Sullivan is hoping that Slurricane has booked his ticket to Cheltenham after success in the four-year-old handicap hurdle at Punchestown this afternoon.

The Kodiac gelding went to post a 4/1 shot in the two-miler having been placed in his previous four outings over timber.

Tom Harney tracked the leaders before asking his mount to take closer order turning for home.

Slurricane knuckled down gamely to get the better of Out For A Stroll on the run-in and post a length-and-a-quarter win.

“That was lovely. He’s been so consistent throughout the year but looking at this race today, it didn’t look straightforward,” said O’Sullivan.

“Eagles Reign won this race last year and qualified for the Boodles. We’ll try and do the same again and get Eleanora (Kennedy) a trip to Cheltenham.

“He’s 115 and that might just get him in now. It would be lovely for her to experience Cheltenham and that has been the plan.

“He’s a tough horse, handles soft ground really well and stays really well.

“Billy (Lee) rode him in a mile-and-six race at Listowel last year and said ‘all this horse does is stay’.

“It might suit him at Cheltenham and, if the ground was soft, you’d be hoping that he’d run well. He’ll scrape in with a nice weight.

“He’s a grand honest horse and it was lovely to win with him. They might be consistent as hell but there is always one to beat you.

“He won over a mile on the Flat and he’s by Kodiac, so it’s a bit unusual for him to stay like that.

“He’s got plenty of experience jumping all through the winter, so we can freshen him up now and plan that way now.”