Day two of Punchestown headlines Wednesday’s racing, though Ascot has a midweek feature as well. Andrew Mount goes through the day’s racing with his top tips below.
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Posted: 4pm, Tuesday, April 29th
1.40 Ascot – WITCH HUNTER (1pt win – 10/1 William Hill, 9/1 generally)
WITCH HUNTER’s three wins came when wearing cheekpieces (including for the first time), and he’s lost 12 on the bounce since the headgear was removed. Richard Hannon’s six-year-old looks very interesting in the 1m Listed Queen Anne Stakes Trial now that first-time blinkers are fitted and his trainer has a good record in this race. Stall 11 of 11 could prove handy, he should get a good pace to chase and his three runs over Ascot’s straight course have produced a 50-1 win, 40-1 fourth of 13 in the 2024 Queen Anne and a 25-1 third of 20 on last season’s Balmoral Handicap.
4.15 Punchestown – JARRIVE DE MEE (1pt e/w – 9/1 William Hill, 8/1 generally)
JASMIN DE VAUX landed a punt in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham (6-1 from 14-1 a few days earlier) but is far from certain to repeat that effort now returned to a right-handed track. The Albert Bartlett form has received some knocks, with the runner-up, seventh and tenth well beaten next time, and Jasmin De Vaux’s only previous run in today’s direction saw him finish 20 lengths back in eighth when 6-4 favourite for the Champion Flat Race at this meeting last year. I’m going to take a chance on stablemate JARRIVE DE MEE, who is bidding to make it four wins from four starts under Rules. This point-to-point winner opened his account at right-handed Thurles last November and has since added wins at Catterick (2m3.5f) and Haydock (1m7.5f) despite jumping markedly out to his right at those left-handed venues. The step up in trip could suit, as will the return to a right-handed track and Mullins has won this with his second string before.
5.30 Punchestown – SPILLANE’S TOWER (1pt win – 5/2 generally)
GALOPIN DES CHAMPS heads the market for the Punchestown Gold Cup on the back of his runner-up effort to Inothewayurthinkin in the Cheltenham equivalent, but he looks worth opposing on the balance of his form on right-handed tracks. The Willie Mullins-trained nine-year-old has won ten of his 13 starts on left-handed tracks (+£11.76 to a £1 level stake at SP), beating 88.14% of his rivals in the process, but is just three from nine right-handed (-£3.97), beating only 75.71% of his rivals. His last four runs in this direction have seen him beaten at odds of 4-11, 1-2, 1-2 and 3-1. Take him on with course expert SPILLANE’S TOWER, whose chase record at this venue reads 1112 (3-4), with the defeat by half a length when 18-1 for this season’s John Durkan, run over an inadequate 2m3.5f trip and won by the same owner’s Fact To File.
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Andrew Mount’s Best Bets
1.40 Ascot – WITCH HUNTER (1pt win – 10/1 William Hill, 9/1 generally)
4.15 Punchestown – JARRIVE DE MEE (1pt e/w – 9/1 William Hill, 8/1 generally)
5.30 Punchestown – SPILLANE’S TOWER (1pt win – 5/2 generally)
Witch Hunter
Andrew Mount’s Horse Racing Tips – Wednesday, 30th April
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Tue 29 Apr 2025Looking For More Racing Info? Check Out Our Racecards & Top Tips Sections
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