The jumps are back as Kildare track kicks off new season with two-day meeting

The days are getting colder and the nights are drawing in so that means only one thing - the new Jumps racing season in Ireland has arrived.

Punchestown hosts its season opener across a couple of days this week, with racing on Tuesday and Wednesday at the track as the leading jumps trainers across the lands start to send their runners out and about.

Read below to discover the latest tips and a full preview of Punchestown’s card on Wednesday courtesy of BoyleSports, who offer the latest Irish horse racing betting.

The opening contest on the Punchestown card on Tuesday (2.20) sees a field of seven head to the start for a three-year-old hurdle over the one mile and seven furlong trip. Trainer Paul Flynn has a good hand here with Solar Drive, a winner on the Flat and successful on his second run over the obstacles at Ballinrobe last month and is given the nod ahead of Slurricane, making his Jumps debut for trainer Ross O’Sullivan having been a useful winner on the Flat too.

Ten runners are set to take on the 80-109 rated handicap hurdle to mark race two on the card (2.50) and the Richard O’Brien-trained Mount Anglesby has made a good start for his new team and his opening mark of 109 looks fair for his handicap debut. Sayitfirst rates the chief threat, a creditable second 12 in a Fairyhouse handicap hurdle just eight days ago and can have another solid spin here.

Top-class hurdler Pied Piper, third in the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival back in March behind the Melbourne Cup-bound Absurde, is back over the timber after a spell on the Flat and lines up in a small field of four for the two mile and two furlong hurdle contest at Punchestown on Wednesday (3.20) with the Gordon Elliott-trained star taken to get the better of Aspire Tower from the Henry De Bromhead yard, a previous course winner.

Powerhouse trainer Willie Mullins sends Mister Pink to Punchestown for race four on the card (3.50), a useful bumper winner that was second on hurdles debut in a course and distance maiden last time out 12 months ago, which is a fair absence but is still the one to beat here. Ballysax Hank is the best chance of doing that for trainer Brendan Duke, second of 18 on hurdling debut at Listowel last month and showed plenty of ability when doing so.

Trainer Gavin Cromwell is in some fine form and he sends Due Course to Punchestown for the 80-102 rated handicap hurdle at 4.20. The four-year-old was a winner at Bellewstown in August and a good third of 13 in a Killarney handicap last time out so is one to keep an eye on here. General Clermont is his main threat, having enjoyed a decent Summer with two wins from four starts.

The penultimate race on the day one card at Punchestown sees a big field of 17 head off the start for the two mile and six furlong handicap hurdle (4.50) and the Oliver McKiernan-trained Its Not Over Yet is the play, two wins this season from four starts which includes a career-best 12-runner success at Roscommon just over a fortnight ago.

Finally, the card comes to a close at Punchestown with a mares bumper over the one mile and seven furlong distance (5.20) and preference in the finale, perhaps unsurprisingly, heads the way of Willie Mullins and Mummy Derry, who was a warm favourite on debut at Galway but found only one too good however, if she can bear anywhere near that form this time around, should go one better.

Punchestown selections - Tuesday 

2.20 - Solar Drive 

2.50 - Mount Anglesby 

3.20 - Pied Piper 

3.50 - Mister Pink 

4.20 - Due Course 

4.50 - Its Not Over Yet 

5.20 - Mummy Derry