SHAMROCK’S BIG RACE PREVIEW: SHAMROCK is back, looking at the big races at Punchestown on Friday. It was a day of shocks yesterday.
Well that proved nice and easy didn’t it…. NOT.
Winners at 25/1, 25/1, 20/1, 20/1 and 14/1 on the card yesterday. A day for the layers and bookies.
5:30 Racing Post Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) (4yo+, Class 1, 2m, 3 runners)
It’s a fantastic head to head but a bitterly disappointing turnout for such a valuable contest. If the unthinkable happened and one of the two principals was a non runner we would be left with a match and a 1/100 favourite in a Champion Hurdle. €6,000 for coming fourth and not a single horse wants the ‘free’ money. At least with Jezki and Hurricane Fly we have a fairly level betting heat – the BETDAQ market favours the younger Jezki to continue the excellent week for trainer Jessie Harrington. It’s really quite easy this race. If Jezki reproduces his Cheltenham Champion Hurdle form then he wins again. He had Hurricane Fly five lengths back in fourth place in March. Both horses are rated the same (169) and Hurricane Fly is hardly passed over lightly – he’s bidding for his FIFTH straight win in this race for goodness sake – but even, in what will undoubtedly end up being a tactical affair, I see no reason to see why the Cheltenham form shouldn’t be confirmed here. As we saw with Quevega yesterday all winning runs come to an end eventually and Hurricane Fly may find Jezki too nippy today.
6:05 Tattersalls Ireland Champion Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) (4yo+, Class 1, 2m 4f, 5 runners)
If Mullins comes up short with Hurricane Fly in the Champion Hurdle then he will be looking towards Vautour as part of his star future team. He bids to replicate stable companion Faugheen by repeating his impressive Cheltenham success at Punchestown and Vautour could hardly have been more impressive in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winning by six lengths. The runner-up boosted the form with a subsequent win in a Grade 2 at Aintree and Vautour should be fine with the extra half mile here.
Both selections are short so in a rare move I’m NAPPING THE DOUBLE.
The two are paying 2.54 on BETDAQ MULTIPLES which looks very tempting.
SHAMROCK’S BETS:
NAP: WIN DOUBLE ON JEZKI / VAUTOUR
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