Preview of today's racing at Punchestown
Sir Gerhard is in action at Punchestown today Photo: ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy
After the excitement of the Dublin Racing Festival down the road at Leopardstown, Punchestown is the focus of Irish Jumps racing on Monday with an eight-race card on offer for punters heading to the track.
Racing gets underway at 1pm with a cross country chase over the three-mile trip before the action comes to a close at 4.40pm with a bumper over the extended two-mile distance.
Read below to discover the latest tips and a full preview of the Punchestown card on Monday courtesy of BoyleSports, who offer the very latest Cheltenham odds for the Festival in March.
The opening contest on the card sees a big field of 17 taking on the three-mile cross country chase for horses aged five and older (1.00). Preference in the opener heads the way of Chemical Energy from the powerful Gordon Elliott yard, only 12th last time out when seen at Cheltenham but still sets the standard here. Stealthy Tom for veteran trainer Enda Bolger, a course and distance winner and a good second at Fairyhouse 51 days ago, rates the next best.
A mares handicap chase marks race two of the afternoon (1.30) where Splashing Out looks the one to beat, a winner over hurdles and a good second when sent chasing at Tramore 33 days ago and makes a handicap chase debut here with improvement expected for trainer Eoin Griffin.
A whopping field of 23 will take on the maiden hurdle for horses aged five and older for race three on the Punchestown card (2.00). Ethical Diamond has the best form on offer here so is fancied to get that first win in calmer waters for trainer Willie Mullins, well down the field when last seen at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival but a good fourth prior to that on the level at Royal Ascot.
The very promising Lehaunstown looks the one to beat in race four (2.30) with jockey Sean Flanagan on board from trainer Barry Connell in the two-mile and three furlong maiden hurdle off the back on an excellent second at this track last time out, while race five on the card (3.05) can go the way of Balko D’ange, a career-best winner at Limerick 36 days ago from the re-opposing Bright Legend and is stepping up in trip for his handicap debut here.
Powerhouse trainer Mullins holds an incredibly strong chance in race six (3.40) with Argento Boy, a bumper winner who is given a second chance having pulled up in a maiden hurdle when last seen at Leopardstown but was a very handy second the start before and he is taken to get the better of Son Of Anarchy from the Elliott yard, fourth of 12 in a maiden hurdle on national hunt debut 71 days ago and is open to progress.
The penultimate race on the Punchestown card (4.10) sees Slim Marvel get the nod, a winner of a hurdle contest at Kilbeggan in July and a good second at Cork 17 days ago for trainer Andrew Slattery, while the finale of the day (4.40) sees an intriguing runner in Sir Gerhard for trainer Mullins look set to line up, a high-class hurdler previously in his career that has taken a bit of a step backwards over the past 12 months, a stone-dead last in the Stayers’ Hurdle at the last Cheltenham Festival but this could be a step back into better company.
Punchestown selections - Monday 1.00 - Chemical Energy 1.30 - Splashing Out 2.00 - Ethical Diamond 2.30 - Lehaunstown 3.05 - Balko D’ange 3.40 - Argento Boy 4.10 - Slim Marvel 4.40 - Sir Gerhard
