The jumps season will be going out with a bang this week in Ireland. The Punchestown Festival takes place over five days, with the first beginning on Tuesday.
Matty Sutcliffe will be on hand for every day at Punchestown this week. He has three tips for the opening day for you to follow.
Punchestown Racing Tips (Tuesday 28 April)
Three Grade 1s occur on day one at Punchestown. Matty has one selection at the top level, and two in handicaps to kick off the meeting.
3:05 Punchestown – Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series Final Handicap Hurdle (4yo+) – Powerful 13/2 1pt WIN
An awfully tricky 25-runner handicap to decipher can be cracked by Powerful, who can take his course record to three from three.
The son of Camelot was giving educational rides to say the least in maiden hurdles, heavily catching the attention of the stewards when second to the favourite in the same ownership at Kilbeggan this time last year.
The money was down on handicap debut here in November and he duly obliged, staying on strongly in the manner of one requiring further. He never figured at Leopardstown next time out when beaten five lengths into midfield, outpaced prior to the last.
The return to Punchestown and a step up in trip saw him return to the winners enclosure in January off top-weight in a qualifier for this, where he travelled well throughout and never looked in danger once getting up the gap on the rail on the turn into the straight.
Powerful caught the eye in a valuable Fairyhouse handicap returning from an 83 day break, racing wide throughout and coming home in a tender manner. It remains to be seen whether he can defy this mark of 127 off top-weight, but thus far Punchestown has brought the best out of him and it was a commanding performance off 7lbs lower the last time. This will have been the plan, and he’s bred to be a very nice animal given his damn is a half sister to the 2005 Derby winner Motivator.
3:40 Punchestown – Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle (Listed Race) (4yo+) – Davy Crockett 8/1 1pt EW 5 places
Willie Mullins has won this race four times in the last seven years including with three five-year-olds, so a chance is taken on a return to form from Davy Crockett who looked a smart type last summer.
The son of Camelot, out of the excellent Annie Power, won a course bumper by nine lengths last June, looking a sharp sort. He backed that up at Galway a month later on hurdles debut, where despite a mistake two out, he cruised upsides the leader to easily pull two lengths clear. He confirmed that was no fluke when backing that up at Listowel in September, again travelling strongly throughout. Hitting the front two out, despite an error, he lost little momentum and pulled away with ease.
Thereafter, he picked up an injury, and has admittedly since returned in dire form. However, the initial return was in Grade 1 company, and he weakened markedly in Grade 3 company at Naas. He was given no chance in rear last time out, and all three of those efforts came on soft/heavy going.
He now comes here with a tongue tie, and returns to better ground off a mark of 126. Given his earlier form, and his breeding, it would be a surprise should he not be able to better that mark in time and I’m chancing he’s been targeted at this as opposed to turning sour.
4:15 Punchestown – PRL Champion Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) (5yo+) – Le Labo 9/2 1pt WIN
The Irish two-mile novices have been markedly weaker this season which makes this contest more open than usual, and a chance is taken on Le Labo who is just one of two in here who didn’t go to Cheltenham.
The Mount Nelson gelding was a convincing bumper winner on good ground at Thurles last March, staying on well from midfield to display a nice turn of foot, albeit running greenly, to win going away beating a pair of subsequently mid 130s types.
He never travelled when 4/1 for the Aintree bumper and he unseated when 5/2 favourite for his hurdles debut. His shortness in the market looked justified when going four lengths clear at Cork in December, only to come down after the last. That form has worked out, as the winner Kazansky won in Group 2 company next time out.
He belatedly got off the mark in Grade 3 company at Naas, getting up late and gamely fending off the 11/10 favourite Blake, who wasn’t out of things when falling at the last next time out. That was a strong performance given it was the first time he’s stood up over hurdles, and he looks the type to have plenty of untapped potential with this better ground to suit.
Matty Sutcliffe’s Best Bets
3:05 Punchestown – Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series Final Handicap Hurdle (4yo+) – Powerful 13/2 1pt WIN
3:40 Punchestown – Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle (Listed Race) (4yo+) – Davy Crockett 8/1 1pt EW 5 places
4:15 Punchestown – PRL Champion Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) (5yo+) – Le Labo 9/2 1pt WIN
Matthew Sutcliffe’s Best Bets – Tuesday 28 April
FAQs
What are today’s racing tips?
Matthew Sutcliffe provides his best bets for the racing at Punchestown on Tuesday 28 April.
When were Matthew Sutcliffe’s tips published?
Matty Sutcliffe’s racing tips were published at 4.17pm on Monday 27 April.
Who is Matthew Sutcliffe?
Matthew Sutcliffe is GGs newest contributor, often providing a value angle for his tips. He writes weekly columns for the weekend’s racing, as well as taking aim at ante-post markets at the Cheltenham Festival. Follow him on X: @MattySutcliffe
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