Punchestown Racecourse: preview and tips for Wednesday’s seven-race card
Keith Donoghue rides the spectacular grey horse Vanillier at Punchestown today Photo: ©INPHO/Caroline Norris
Hot on the heels of the Dublin Racing Festival, Punchestown hosts Ireland’s latest Jumps meeting on Wednesday afternoon.
Pushed back by 24 hours owing to the weather delays at DRF, Wednesday’s card gets underway at 12.28pm and comes to a close at 3.58pm.
Read below for a full rundown of the Punchestown card courtesy of BetVictor Casino.
Up first is a cross country chase over the three-mile trip (12.28) and a field of 11 are set to take it on. Trainer Enda Bolger has a fine record in this race and Fakir D’Oudairies could be the way to go here, having had a couple of runs in point-to-points at the back end of last year to get used to this sphere. Last year’s winner of this race and third in last year’s Cross Country at Cheltenham, Vanilier, rates a big danger for the Gavin Cromwell team.
Race two on the Punchestown card sees seven runners head to post for the mares handicap chase (1.03) and preference here heads the way of the Robert Tyner-trained Crecoa Hills, a winner at Naas in November and a decent third at this course last time out, keeping on well.
A big field of 15 will take on the two-mile maiden hurdle at 1.38, where the in-form Willie Mullins could get off the mark for the day with Too Bossy For Us, a handy winner previously on the Flat that has had his target significantly lowered here after a couple runs in Grade 1s so should have far too much class for the field.
Agameoftwohalves looks the way to go in race four (2.13) who should be suited by the step up to two miles and three furlongs here having finished fourth over two miles at Fairyhouse a few weeks back and retains scope for improvement. Good Option could prove to be exactly that as well, with much more expected to come from the lightly-raced six-year-old who was a huge 100/1 seventh at Naas 26 days ago.
A two mile and three furlong novice handicap hurdle is up next on the Punchestown card (2.48). Mojoe took a big step forward when landed a handicap hurdle at this track 23 days ago on handicap debut and gets the nod to follow up for the Patrick Foley team.
The penultimate race of the afternoon sees nine runners line up for the two and three quarter mile maiden hurdle (3.23). That Danny Feeling could be the way to go in this won, a bumper winner previously that was a good second when sent back over hurdles at Clonmel last time out, stepping up in trip here which should be a benefit.
Finally, the card comes to a close at 3.58 with a mares handicap hurdle and a field of ten are set for the off over two miles and seven furlongs. Preference in the finale heads the way of Magic Boum for the Gordon Elliott yard, a very good fourth at Navan last time out that followed up a win at the same track on debut, so could go in again here. Pebble Bleu has a 7lb penalty to shoulder for trainer Colin Motherway having won two of her last three starts but cannot be underestimated in that kind of form.
