11-2 CAPTAIN ANOTHER RUNAWAY WINNER AS DAQMAN STRIKES AGAIN: There’s an opening bet of 16.5 as Daqman tries to follow up his runaway big hitters on Saturday (Copperhead, nap, WON 6-1, by 17 lengths) and yesterday (Captain Zebo WON 11-2 by 18 lengths).
HUGE BETDAQ OFFERS ABOUT BIG TWO STABLES IN THE NATIONAL TRIAL: Today Daqman has Gordon Elliott and Willie Mullins fighting out the finish as the Punchestown Grand National Trial gets 19 chasers off the ground at the third attempt, after two abandonments. No surprise there, then, but the offers are! You could get 13.0, 18.0 and 27.0 in the BETDAQ orange.
BULLISH ABOUT THE NATIONAL TRIAL
2.45 Punchestown (Grand National Trial Order In) Hedgehunter won this before taking the Aintree Grand National for Willie Mullins in 2003. Last year’s winner and third, Dounikos and General Principle, are outsiders in the National betting for Saturday, April 4.
General Principle is back for more in the Trial today, and what doesn’t target Aintree could be seen in the Irish Grand National on Easter Monday, April 13, or at the Punchestown Festival.
Gordon Elliott, who has trained the winner the last two years, runs seven with penalised Minella Till Dawn shortest in the BETDAQ markets.
🏇 Roaring Bull Has his own ideas about the game but sprang to form in big-field 3m handicap over Christmas. Had been sixth in the Close Brothers at the Cheltenham Festival and sixth in the Irish Grand National. Claimed off with Davy Russell switching to Out Sam.
🏇 Stones And Roses Has won only a beginners’ chase and is just six years old, but two of that age group have won this in the last four seasons. Paul Townend rides and totally unexposed at the trip, with trainer Willie Mullins describing him as a ‘Grand National horse of the future.’
🏇 Out Sam Third 2018 Ulster National and winner Cork Grand National. He’s 12lb lower now but disappointing favourite for last year’s Ulster National (pulled up). Ground in his favour today and Davy Russell rides.
🏇 Rocky’s Silver Punchestown 2-2 after winning Amateur National there over three furlongs shorter than today. Raised 7lb but 5lb claimed by Conor Orr, who has ridden him to three other chase wins. Loves heavy ground.
🏇 Cheb De Kerviniou Placed twice since leaving France, including eight-lengths third to Rocky’s Silver in the Amateur National on today’s course when 11-8 favourite, staying on one pace (3m 1f). Second at Fairyhouse with Cle En Main third.
🏇 Minella Till Dawn Hiked a stone for Cork success in first-time blinkers the last day which was first win for more than three years after 11 consecutive defeats and was his sole success over fences (1-9). Has raced only once (3m fell) beyond 2m 6f.
🏇 Mon Lino Long distance (3m 5f) of the Porterstown Chase suited him at Fairyhouse on December 1, running second in a moderate field, with modest hurdles runs on either side of it. Likes it heavy, and well backed for this before both abandonments.
🏇 Cle En Main Well backed for this. Lightly raced; improved for step up in trip, kept on third over 3m 1f at Fairyhouse, and better off now with the runner-up, Cheb De Kerviniou.
🏇 Killer Miller Penalised for beating Mon Lino in the Porterstown Chase (3m 5f) in December. Otherwise poor form since novice days. First-time cheekpieces, replacing blinkers.
🏇 Agusta Gold has been in the frame in 15 consecutive hurdles and chases, but has won over fences only once (in a maiden). Cheekpieces tried on the last day at Thurles are now removed.
🏇 Spider Web Won the Ladbrokes Ulster National at Limerick in October, 2018, and was second in the same race last year.
🏇 The Gatechecker Cork Grand National winner in November. Not much else on his CV but fair prep run over hurdles.
🏇 General Principle Failed to finish five times out of six since third in this race last year off 11lb higher mark. Won Irish Grand National in 2018. Backed overnight with Robbie Power taking the ride.
🏇 Space Cadet Fourth in this race in 2018, with good Gowran Park performances either side: third Thyestes, second Leinster National. Some revival back in Points and Troytown fourth in November, but pulled up testing conditions in the Welsh Grand National.
🏇 Ifyoucatchmenow Has failed to match winning hurdles form. Beaten total of 98 lengths in three chases since December
🏇 Forever Gold Third 2018 Irish Grand National. Very poor form since (16 runs since last win) and dropped only 5lb.
🏇 Call The Taxi, 🏇 Gun Digger, 🏇 Prince Of Scars have modest recent form.
UNDER ORDERS FOR BANKS COMEBACK
1.45 Punchestown (Cross Country) The 2015 and 2016 winner, Ballyboker Bridge, loves Punchestown, and he did well to be third to Yanworth over 3m here in November, first run since winning the 4m 2f La Touche at the track’s annual festival.
Ballyboker Bridge is 13 now but his Punchestown banks record is 1013233313, still standing, and it’s a big ride for his amateur partner.
Yanworth has won just that one banks event, the only time he reached the frame in any race in 2019, pulling up twice and falling once in five starts. This is his last-chance saloon to join the cross-country stars.
Josie’s Orders is 22211132 on Punchestown bank duty, and was runner-up to Tiger Roll in the Cheltenham Festival Cross Country last year.
Excuses for Cheltenham in December and huge at 16.5 in the BETDAQ orange this morning, as his stablemate, Yanworth, is backed down to close on even money.
THE BATTLE ROYAL OF FUTURE STARS
3.20 Punchestown This Grade-3 novice hurdle has been quite a kingmaker, with Folsom Blue (2012), Don Poli (2014), Monalee (2017) and Chris’s Dream (2018) among its winner, and with the recent 21-lengths Fairyhouse scorer, Allaho, potentially up there with some of them.
Willie Mullins, who has won five of the last seven, has impressive Clonmel scorer by 33 lengths, Lord Royal, bidding to book his place in the Albert Bartlett line-up at Cheltenham.
Stablemate Vis Ta Loi is also a brilliant jumper but doesn’t have the form of another runaway winner, Fully Charged, whose trainer, Henry De Bromhead has won this race twice in the last three years.
Floueur is a big, galloping sort, a chaser in the making, and racereaders had him down as a potential star after he trotted up at Navan.
DAQMAN’S BETS
1.45 Punchestown (win 20, place 10)
BET 1.25pts win and 3pts place JOSIES ORDERS
BET 4.25pts win (stakes saver) YANWORTH
2.45 Punchestown (win 50 bull’s-eye bets)
BET 4pts win OUT SAM at 13.0 on BETDAQ
BET 3pts win ROARING BULL at 18.0 on BETDAQ
BET 2pts win STONES AND ROSES at 27.0 on BETDAQ
3.20 Punchestown (supernap)
BET 20pts win LORD ROYAL
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