TWO OUT OF TWO PUNCHESTOWN NAPS UP: Despite the diminished racecards, and a non-runner on Wednesday, Shamrock has landed two out of two winning naps at the Punchestown Festival: Tofino Bay (WON 5-2) and Sizing Europe (WON 8-13).
4.55 Punchestown (Grade 1 novice chase): English trainer Philip Hobbs was quoted as saying he’d withdraw all his horses from the festival because of the ground.
That he hasn’t done so suggests ‘let them take their chance,’ and Menorah’s form also implies a big doubt about the surface; I thought it a slow-run messy race he won at Aintree, with Al Ferof under-performing.
Fellow English raider, Kumbeshwar, likes it heavy and he stuck on well enough over a furlong shorter than today when runner-up at Ascot in December, though he’s reverted to the minimum since.
In fact, the only horse in the race without stamina doubts in the prevailing conditions is Mouse Morris’s First Lieutenant, runner-up to Bobs Worth in the RSA Chase, though he, too, would prefer a better surface.
First Lieutenant has never had a following because he makes mistakes, and burst a bloodvessel, pulled up, at Fairyhouse in December. But is he that unreliable, never otherwise out of the frame in 14 starts?
5.30 Punchestown (Champion Hurdle) Hurricane Fly is on a hat–trick in this, and so am I with my naps. ‘The Hurricane’ has seen off Thousand Stars in the last two renewals, and Zaidpour was well out of the back door at Cheltenham. So I’m buying money today, with the prospect of an odds-against best bet in my sights tomorrow.
6.05 Punchestown (Champion Novice Hurdle) This race has produced Tranquil Sea and Mikael d’Haguenet in the last four seasons, but with the Willie Mullins yard overall top, winning five of the last 10.
Willie’s Felix Yonger continues on the upgrade, stepping up from maiden to Grade 2 and then Grade 1 at Cheltenham when he was 11 lengths clear of all bar the ‘machine’, Simonsig, in the Neptune. There’s just a bit of a worry about the ground today but class could see him through.
6.40 Punchestown It’s three out of four for British raiders, with Nicky Henderson double-handed to continue the trend, connections confident of Oscara Dara this morning while his other one, Malt Master, is easy to back.
Terminal will like the ground and could take advantage of Oscara Dara’s weakness – he hits a flat spot in his races – but I shall be having an old punt or two win and place on Captain Dancer; when I saw him win at Tipperary, I fancied ‘hurdles could be the making of him.’
He goes well fresh, having run second to subsequent Champion Hurdle trialist, Torphichen, on the Flat at The Curragh in soft ground.
SHAMROCK’S BETS
NAP: Hurricane Fly (5.30 Punchestown)
NEXT BEST: Felix Yonger (6.05 Punchestown)
WIN AND PLACE: First Lieutenant (4.55 Punchestown) and Captain Dancer (6.40 Punchestown)
DAQ DOUBLE: Hurricane Fly (5.30 Punchestown) and Felix Yonger (6.05 Punchestown)
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