The Punchestown Festival reaches day three on Thursday, with two more Grade 1s headlining the card. GG tipster Joe Napier has picked out his best four bets across the card, including an English-trained runner who could upset the Irish in race one.
2.30 Punchestown – Specialist Group Handicap Hurdle
British yards are doing well in the handicaps this week and may well claim the opener courtesy of KAP OUEST, who is useful and remains a more than likely improver for Harry Fry.
The six-year-old races here off a mark 2lb lower than his British rating, which is a solid starting point for his claims. He was also running in strong maiden hurdles to begin the season, bumping into two talented Skelton runners in Valgrand and Royal Infantry before beating a subsequent winner of Philip Hobbs’ to get off the mark at Exeter in December.
He unseated his rider on his handicap debut at Newbury in March before finding 2m5f too far at Warwick last time, fading from the second last. He was also ridden very cold in rear that day, suggesting future assignments may be the priority. Harry Fry has trained Punchestown winners in the past, with the yard in good form at the moment too.
3.05 Punchestown – Frontline Security Handicap Chase
Tullyhill could make light of top-weight here given some of the previous form he has shown over hurdles and fences, but he can be unpredictable, as displayed when he pulled up last time out. He is also conceding plenty of weight to some established and useful handicappers.
Two from the Grand Annual at Cheltenham appeal most, with JASKO DES DAMES fancied to overturn running with Midnight It Is. The selection was fifth to the latter’s third that day, but there is a 5lb swing at the weights in favour of Henry De Bromhead’s charge for just a four-length deficit.
Jasko Des Dames suffered interference on the home turn that day, as well as hitting the second last, but still stuck to his task really well. With that being genuine handicap form of a high level and the weights more in his favour, he should be in contention, especially as a past course and distance winner too.
4.15 Punchestown – Conway Piling Handicap Hurdle
Plenty of these renew their rivalry from the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival, but it is one who appeared not to give his true running that deserves another chance in WIN SOME LOSE SOME for Padraig Roche and JP McManus.
He would be only third choice of McManus’s runners on cap colours alone, but the six-year-old could easily have much more to offer. He went off just 8/1 for the aforementioned Festival contest, but was never in contention having jumped less than fluently. He is 3lb lower in the handicap here, but he showed at Leopardstown in December the potential he has when scoring impressively from off the pace.
He is 10lb higher in the handicap, but the third that day is one who has really franked that effort. He could yet be a force in the staying hurdle division, especially if jumping cleanly and is one not to give up on so quickly, with Aidan Kelly taking off a further 5lb.
6.00 Punchestown – Ladbrokes Champion Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
Arguably Teahupoo’s most impressive career success came in this race last season, but it looked a poor renewal. While there is not infinitely more depth this time around, two defeats from two starts this season, coupled with ground which remains quicker than ideal, do make him more opposable.
The most likeable alternative is ROCKY’S DIAMOND, who was fourth, a little over eight lengths behind Teahupoo, in the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham last time out. However, that continued the immense progression of the five-year-old this term, who was a 66/1 third in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown after Christmas, before winning the Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park in January.
Since his debut, which is easily forgiven, he is 3/3 going right-handed and 0/3 left-handed, so this is the orientation he seemingly prefers. Given he has improved for every start this campaign, further development could well see him spring a surprise.
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