Tuesday marks day one of the Punchestown Festival, but with five meetings across the UK and Ireland, Andrew Mount has four selections for you to follow.
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Posted: 5pm, Monday, April 29th
3.40 Punchestown – KING OF KINGSFIELD (1pt ew – 33/1 Betfair, Paddy Power, 28/1 William Hill)
KING OF KINGSFIELD was well backed for the County Hurdle at Cheltenham but the 4-1 shot trailed home in 14th place after failing to handle the heavy going. Gordon Elliott’s six-year-old is back in Grade 1 novice level today but ran second in this company at Fairyhouse in December and, more interestingly, his form ties in with Cheltenham winners Ballyburn and Slade Steel. He started as the 8-11 favourite to beat Slade Steel in a Naas maiden hurdle in November when finding Henry De Bromhead’s runner too good but could be closer now that he encounters his preferred quicker going (good to yielding, good in places at the time of writing). It was officially ‘yielding’ when he landed a 23-runner maiden hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas, and he was placed at 28-1 in the Champion bumper at this meeting last year on a similar surface.
5.25 Punchestown – BANBRIDGE (1.5pt win – 9/2 bet365)
5.25 Punchestown – GENTLEMAN DE MEE (1pt win – 11/2 bet365)
BANBRIDGE is ground dependent and it’s safe to draw a line through his ninth place in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham where he completed failed to handle the very soft conditions. His record on officially good to soft (yielding in Ireland) or faster going reads 1411011211 (7-10) for a profit of £27.71 and he was a wide-margin winner on his sole previous visit to Punchestown. It’s officially good to yielding, good in places today and this faster surface, combined with the first-time cheekpieces, can see him bounce back.
GENTELMAN DE MEE tends to come good in the second half of the peak jumps season, recording form figures of 1071111442 (5-10) from February until May, as compared to 52U462 (0-6) in other months. He found only Captain Guinness too good in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham last time and should give another good account.
6.20 Catterick – SUGARPIEHONEYBUNCH (1pt ew – 10/1 bet365)
SUGARPIEHONEYBUNCH won twice over 1m4f in the mud in April of last year (Thirsk and Catterick), coming from well off the pace in big fields on each occasion. Simon West’s mare was well supported on her turf return over 1m4f here on April 3rd, but the small field (seven ran) didn’t suit, and she had to settle for a modest fourth. The money arrived again in a ten-runner contest over the same course and distance on April 24th, but she met trouble against the inside rail from stall 1 and by the time she got in the clear, the principals had flown. That four-length fourth was worthy of an upgrade and this 14-runner 1m6f handicap looks set to be run at a sound gallop. The return to this longer trip is unlikely to inconvenience and it will be disappointing if she isn’t in the frame.
Andrew Mount’s Best Bets
3.40 Punchestown – KING OF KINGSFIELD (1pt ew – 33/1 Betfair, Paddy Power, 28/1 William Hill)
5.25 Punchestown – BANBRIDGE (1.5pt win – 9/2 bet365)
5.25 Punchestown – GENTLEMAN DE MEE (1pt win – 11/2 bet365)
6.20 Catterick – SUGARPIEHONEYBUNCH (1pt ew – 10/1 bet365)
Andrew Mount’s tips for Tuesday, 30th April 2024.
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