The Punchestown Festival gets underway on Tuesday. It is the last of the big jumps meetings across Britain and Ireland, and we have looked into all eight races on the opening day to come up with our selections.
2.30 Punchestown – Kildare Hunt Club Cross Country Chase for the Ladies Perpetual Cup
There is no real specialist in this opening banks contest at Punchestown. We do have last year’s winner in Three By Two, but she has not been in great form since, while it is likely that DE NORDENER is an improved model to the one who has been fifth and fourth in this for the last two years. He at least maintained the level of his point form on debut for this yard when chasing home a real specialist in that sphere last time out. His experience of the track may come in very handy against the upwardly mobile Casey West and Gordon Elliott’s stable debutant Wine An Dine.
3.05 Punchestown – Blood-Stock.com Full Circle Series Final Handicap Hurdle
A lot of the British raiders here have form lines which tie in with each other. World Of Dreams and Sun Joy are the pick of them, but the hosts may still have it. Millstream Lady’s mark may be very generous given she was runner-up in a Grade 3 last time out, but the five-year-old BILLY LEE SWAGGER boasts the most attractive profile. He was runner-up to the top-weight here, Mousey Brown, at Down Royal in March, but is now 11lb better off with that rival after he won again next time out.
That collateral form now looks very strong, but while his conqueror may be weighted to the hilt now, Philip Rothwell’s charge likely has more to come as a youngster whose form is progressive in handicap company.
3.40 Punchestown – KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle (Grade 1)
A rematch between the 1-2-3-4 in the Supreme at Cheltenham, as well as the favourite that day. Mystical Power could well reverse form with Slade Steel on that running given this should be run on better ground even with a little forecast rain on the horizon. Should the rain fall though, the Supreme winner would be tough to beat, although an outsider worth serious consideration is KING OF KINGSFIELD.
He blew out when well fancied for the County Hurdle at Cheltenham, but he possibly raced on the worst of some seriously testing ground, and his best form came on the quickest surface he has faced to date. That came when beating subsequent Grade 2 scorer Mirazur West comfortably in a Leopardstown maiden hurdle and he ran fairly well in a bumper here last season. He is overpriced and could well make the frame.
4.15 Punchestown – Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle
Favourites have a winless record in this in the last decade, though Willie Mullins certainly does not. As such, though he will probably prove a skinny price in a big field, DADDY LONG LEGS looks the clear form pick with conditions set to suit him.
Two Grade 1 races on desperately heavy, then soft ground at Leopardstown proved too much of a test for him, but he received a good workout at Ludlow on a better surface with his trainer chasing the British championship last week. That should put him right for this and he still looks a horse of immense potential when he gets his conditions. Should the rain stay away, he would be a confident bet off a mark of 135.
4.50 Punchestown – Goffs Defender Bumper
There is precious little form to work off here, and that which is available is not strong. Though Gordon Elliott is actually the trainer with the best form in the race since 2015, the force of Willie Mullins’ trio combined with Elliott’s weaker hand here should result in success for Closutton for the third time in four years.
Though King Rasko Grey was an expensive purchase as a three-year-old, and is the number one on jockey bookings, the well-related HEFFAY is preferred, with Jody Townend having partnered Adamantly Chosen to win this in 2021. His half-brother Lalor was not only a top class performer over obstacles, but won three of his four bumpers.
5.25 Punchestown – William Hill Champion Chase
It will be interesting to see how Dysart Dynamo does on these ground conditions after a break, as this race could gift him his ideal test. However, with doubts otherwise about his form, he remains a risky betting proposition, unlike DINOBLUE, who also looks set to benefit from the going and return to this trip. She was conceding 5lb to the progressive Limerick lace in the Mares’ Chase when the combination of 2m4f and soft ground would have stretched her stamina to the maximum.
Back over 2m, she has proved herself as possibly the second best chaser at this trip behind the absent El Fabiolo. Provided a clear round of jumping, she will likely take some beating, even by recent Champion Chaser Captain Guinness.
Punchestown Gold Cup Runners – Nine Declared for Showdown in the Feature
Nine runners have been declared for the Punchestown Gold Cup, the most anticipated race at the track’s annual jumps festival run this week. They include Irish and Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Galopin Des Champs, who is looking to become just the second horse to win all three Grade 1 Gold Cups in the same season…
Mon 29 Apr 20246.00 Punchestown – Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase
Monty’s Star will probably prove the best of these, but on anything quicker than soft, he is surely likely to be vulnerable. Similar doubts apply to Spillane’s Tower and American Mike, while Embassy Gardens weakened throughout last season. Fundamentally, as has been the case in three of the last five renewals, this could produce a shock, and SALVADOR ZIGGY could well be the one to apply it.
Gordon Elliott decided to keep him fresh for the National Hunt Chase, but conditions went horribly against him and he unsurprisingly produced a no-show. However, back on a quicker surface, the balance of his form from last summer reads pretty positively and he rightfully earned a mark in the 150s. That means that he and Sharjah, the two rank outsiders in the field, are actually the highest-rated pair in the race, and in the selection’s case, this may be no fluke. He can bely significant odds here.
6.35 Punchestown – Haier INH Flat Race
There will be plenty of interest in Allaho’s full brother Attaho, as well as Willie Mullins’ Unknown Entity. However, the former’s point form is nothing to shout about, while the latter’s name is apt, and his trainer does not always send one of his future stars to this race. Keeping it simple and looking at some of the decent form already on offer could pay dividends, with PUTAPOUNDINTHEJAR having run to a pretty high level on debut for Tony Martin. His runner-up effort on debut was in a Listed contest, so he has already shown significant ability and can come forward from that.
Punchestown tips on Tuesday, 30th April
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