12-1 PUNCHESTOWN WINNER FOR SHAMROCK: Though Citizenship (WON 12-1) drifted on course on yesterday’s opening day at Punchestown, Shamrock’s tip stormed home ‘very easily’, a nine-lengths winner.
Willie’s reaching for the stars. With currently quite incredible stable form – 121111131201102 – the Mullins bandwagon rolls into star territory today.
His So Young (12.40) looks a Daq Trio banker to resume winning ways when fresh for the opener but then comes a mighty clash in the Morgiana Hurdle, with one of his aces, Thousand Stars (2.10), seemingly at a disadvantage.
Thousand Stars stepped up to World Hurdle trip and class when winning at Auteuil over 3m 2f, but now drops back to the minimum to take on Oscars Well and Pittoni.
That’s why, though he’s 13lb clear in the ratings, his two rivals have closed him down in the betting and the Racing Post forecasts that he’ll be third and last of the three in the SP market.
Had the ground been on top, I might have gone along with that but, with soft-to-heavy, and even a doubt about the meeting at one stage, I can hear the Ruby Walsh brain ticking over like this:
‘I know after two Auteuil runs that he stays all day, so I can confidently try to take the wind out of their sails’
The true quotes are from Willie Mullins in the Racing Post: ‘The remarkable thing is his versatility; he’s good at 2m and 3m.
‘The others will hope to make a fitness edge count but this is Thousand Stars chance to leap out from Hurricane Fly’s shadow.’ Go for it, Ruby.
Willie then worries about the ground for his other runners and admits his hot favourite Make Your Mark (3.40) could be facing a J P McManus runner with a fabulous future.
Thomond Park, half brother to Kicking King, is a talking horse from Colm Murphy’s yard and I’ll be grabbing a bit of 7.4 before J P gets his wallet out.
Donnas Palm (1.40 Punchestown) has taken well to fences and completes my Daq Trio. Abou Ben (2.40) is a massive price for his comeback at 17.0 this morning.
SHAMROCK’S BETS
NAP: Thousand Stars (2.10 Punchestown)
NEXT BEST: Donnas Palm (1.40 Punchestown)
OUTSIDERS: Abou Ben (2.40 Punchestown), Thomond Park (3.40 Punchestown)
DAQ TRIO: So Young (12.40 Punchestown), Donnas Palm (1.40 Punchestown), Thousand Stars (2.10 Punchestown),
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