Racing at Punchestown today

The new working week kicks off in Ireland this week with some Jumps racing at Punchestown, which will host a seven-race card.

The meeting kicks off at 12.48 with a two-mile maiden hurdle for four-year-old’s before the card comes to a close three hours later with the bumper at 3.48 and six runners are set to tackle it.

Read below to discover the latest tips and a full meeting preview of the punchestown card on Monday courtesy of BoyleSports, who will be offering the latest Cheltenham odds at the Festival in March.

The opening contest on the card sees a field of 14 head to the start for the two-mile maiden hurdle (12.48). Useful flat winner Money Dancer looks the way to go in the opener for trainer Noel Meade, third of 16 on hurdling debut 17 days ago and sets a good standard here. Of his rivals, the JP McManus-owned and Willie Mullins-trained Last Kingdom looks the next best, fourth in a Leopardstown hurdle on debut 17 days ago and not knocked about.

Race two on the card (1.18) can go the way of Ragmans Corner, who is the pick on the weights here off the back of a very good second at Fairyhouse 30 days ago and was a hurdle winner at Galway back in October. Tuckmill can give him the most to think about, switching back to hurdles from chasing after a good fifth last time out over the larger obstacles 18 days ago.

The third race on the Punchestown card (1.48) sees ten runners head to post for the two-mile and three furlong maiden hurdle. The Henry De Bromhead-trained Full Of Life is in with a big shout here after a promising start in this sphere when second in a Cork novice hurdle last month. Mullins and jockey Paul Townend team up on the main danger, Magic McColgan, a lightly-raced winner that was a good second at Cork on hurdles debut on the same card as Full Of Life.

Race four of the afternoon is a novice handicap hurdle over two miles and three furlongs (2.18) where Birmingham Alabama looks the one to beat, a winner of a Wexford hurdle in July and a decent third last time out at Fairyhouse to represent a good return to form after a break. Lehaunstown can leave his low-key maiden form behind here now pitched into handicaps for trainer Barry Connell, up in trip and with his yard in good nick as well.

The Mouse Morris-trained Banter At The Bar is a very interesting debutant in race five of the afternoon (2.48) - a two-mile and a six furlong maiden hurdle, successful on his sole start between the flash last March who is taken to make a winning start under rules, while the penultimate race on the Punchestown card (3.18) sees Robyndeglory getting the nod, without a win in 16 runs but could well enjoy being fitted with cheekpieces for the first time here and is off the same mark as when finishing third in a bug-field handicap at Tipperary in November.

Finally, the card comes to a close with the bumper (3.48) and preference in the finale heads the way of Introversio, who is in excellent hands with the Willie Mullins team and makes his debut in a race won last year by Maughreen, who is among the favourites for the Ryanair at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Punchestown selections - Monday 

12.48 - Money Dancer 

1.18 - Ragmans Corner 

1.48 - Full Of Life 

2.18 - Birmingham Alabama 

2.48 - Banter At The Bar 

3.18 - Robyndeglory 

3.48 - Introversio