Racing Lee picks three horses to land a last hurrah of the jump season at Punchestown.
Punchestown Champion Chase
The jump season draws to a close in fitting style with the five-day Punchestown Festival, the final big festival of the campaign.
Plenty of handicaps and no less than 12 Grade 1’s for Racing Lee to get stuck into.
Day 1 on Tuesday sees the Champion Chase as the feature highlight. Things didn’t go to plan for El Fabiolo or Jonbon in the Cheltenham version; the former pulled up after a mid-race error, and the later was withdrawn from his intended run.
Jonbon has since won the Grade 1 Melling Chase at Aintree. Both him and old rival El Fabiolo have their eyes on a prize at Sandown.
This brings in the Champion Chase victor in the shape of Captain Guinness, an admirable and likeable type, if somewhat inconsistent. His form at back end of the season doesn’t read so well, neither does his two previous tries at this meeting.
Enter stage left, the mare, DINOBLUE, who has twice beaten Captain Guinness and the re-opposing Gentleman Du Mee this season.
Last time out she was left out of her ground in the Mares’ Chase, and the winner had flown by the time she kicked into gear. She’s already a winner at the trip, has bagged a Grade 1 this season, has skipped Aintree and is lightly-raced.
She is a winner at this festival in the past to boot, and if the all-conquering Willie Mullins is happy to roll the dice with her, instead of El Fabiolo, then that’s a huge sign to me.
Punchestown Gold Cup
Day 2 on Wednesday sees the Gold Cup as the main attraction, and duel Cheltenham Gold Cup hero GALOPIN DES CHAMPS will try to turn the form of this race last season around with Fastorslow, who unseated in the Gold Cup.
Fastorslow has four-and-a-half lengths to make up on Galopin Des Champs from the Dublin Racing Festival, though. The impressive Grand National winner, I Am Maximus, was a long way back in third that day, yet Fastorslow’s record at Punchestown is one to be noted.
It includes two victories over Galopin, one in this race last season and also at the start of this season in the John Durkan. His Punchestown form reads 22511.
All said and done, the reigning Cheltenham Gold Cup champ has looked a monster this season.
I think the race wasn’t run to suit last year in this race, and with the prize money up for grabs, and a jockeys’ championship there for the taking, I don’t think Paul Townend will be riding the same race again, and will have one hand on the trophy already.
Galopin Des Champs to reign supreme once again.
Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle
Day 3 on Thursday sees the Arkle winner Gaelic Warrior entered, and a short priced favourite for the Castle Novice Chase too!
He should be winning this considering he prefers going this way around, and the two places filled behind him in the Arkle have now won a Grade 1 each at Aintree.
However, it is the Champion Stayers’ Hurdle which takes centre stage on day 3, with the Robcour-owned pair of Teahupoo and Irish Point heading the market.
Reports were that Teahupoo didn’t work great before Aintree and was withdrawn.
They split up their pack and left Bob Olinger to try and gun down his rivals in the Aintree Hurdle, leaving one of these to try and win this race.
Gordon Elliott has come out in recent days saying Teahupoo will be tough to beat, I’m a massive fan of Irish Point though, so it will be a play on the day for myself in this race.
Day 4 on Friday sees things turning up the heat once more, with two warm favourites in State Man (Champion Hurdle) and Ballyburn (Champion Novice Hurdle), who both should win with ease.
State Man has been able to show he is the cream of the crop this season without Constitution Hill in the way. Ballyburn has stamped his class on the novice hurdling division with some authority, form that has been franked whichever way you look.
Day 5 on Saturday, meanwhile, brings in Lossiemouth (Mares' Champion Hurdle), so impressive in the Mares’ Hurdle, and who will take the world of beating against her own sex.
She’s one for the accas!
Finally to the Four-Year-Old Hurdle race for my third bet.
Sir Gino, impressive enough at Aintree, silenced his doubters and those doubting the stable form with an authoritative win. He’s had a lighter campaign thanks to missing Cheltenham and he could take his chance after his easy Aintree victory.
Another is Bottler’secret, who is one of the market leaders having went two-from-two when winning a nice race at Fairyhouse’s Easter meeting.
Cue the dominant yard of Willie Mullins, who has a few darts to throw at this and punters will be looking to see who is the chosen mount of the stable number one is.
Midnite
Paul Townend has twice chosen STORM HEART in the Grade 1 at the Dublin Racing Festival and in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham.
He was ahead of Majborough in the Spring Juvenile at the DRF when second to Kargese. He was then sent off 7/2 favourite for the Triumph in which Paul could have had a choice of six.
He was an easy winner on good ground in France, and he had bolted up by 22 lengths at this track prior to those two Grade 1 races.
He clearly shows plenty at home with Paul opting for him in those strong contests. I’m willing to forgive the Triumph run, and he would be a strong each way play at the current prices.
A fascinating end to the week, plenty of short prices and odds-odd shots.
I like DINOBLUE (tipped at 2/1), GALOPIN DES CHAMPS (4/5) and STORM HEART (6/1) to land a last hurrah of the jump season.
Bet responsibly and good luck!
