SIR SHAMROCK’S NAP AND DOUBLE UP: Shamrock landed his nap and double on the opening day at the Punchestown Festival, sticking to the obvious and best, with Sizing Europe (nap, WON 8-13) and Sir Des Champs (WON 2-7). But today it’s his own neck he sticks out, opposing morning favourites Sous Les Cieux, Loch Ard and Quel Esprit.
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3.40 Punchestown (Martinstown Opportunity Final): Andrew McNamara, Aidan Cawley and Emmet Mullins have won this easily, indicating that you need a top boy.
The sponsor’s trainers have done their homework and have four horses in off 11st 4lb or lower: David Splaine, who won last year, rides top rated Fahamore, who should be suited by the trip.
Ten Bob (goes well fresh) and Cappagh (may want better ground) have obvious chances but I shall have a win and place on first-time-in-a-handicap The Bear Trap (13.5 on BETDAQ at the time of writing), under Aodhagan Conlon.
4.20 Punchestown: The favourite has been turned over every year so far but it’s hard to tell this morning which will lead the market at the ‘off’, Willie Mullins’ Wicklow Bloodstock runner, Loch Ard, or Listed winner Un Beau Matin, a very promising Gordon Elliott grey.
4.55 Punchestown: The question marks this time about the front two in the betting are whether blinkers will put back the sparkle in Sous Les Cieux and whether his efforts at Cheltenham and Aintree have dimmed the chances of Ipsos Du Berlais, who is another grey with a big chance today.
5.30 Punchestown Gold Cup: Favourites had won seven out of eight in the decade – until the 14-1 and 20-1 shocks of the last two years – taking this consecutively with subsequent Gold Cup winners, Kicking King and War Of Attrition, followed by back-to-back success for Neptune Collonges, the nose winner of the Liverpool Grand National.
Yet another grey, Quel Esprit, has had a break since completing his hat-trick in the Hennessy Gold Cup, with last year’s winner of this, Follow The Plan, boosting the form at Aintree.
Since the start of last year, Rubi Light’s form on soft or deeper is 21311. Good ground was against him at Leopardstown (when he showed he got 3m and only Synchronised got in the way in the Lexus) and at Cheltenham. Today’s the day, and 4.3 this morning was about right.
6.40 Punchestown (Guinness Chase): Raptor would give Willie Mullins a hat-trick in this race: he’s back at his winning distance, if he has recovered from the Irish Grand National, in which he pulled up on a sounder surface.
Tranquil Sea has his conditions and will be hard to beat, having won two Grade 1s and four Grade2s, but that means he has to give lumps of weight away.
SHAMROCK’S BETS
NAP: Raptor (6.40 Punchestown)
NEXT BEST: Rubi Light (5.30 Punchestown)
WIN AND PLACE: The Bear Trap (3.40 Punchestown)
DAQ YANKEE: Un Beau Matin (4.20 Punchestown), Ipsos Du Berlais (4.55 Punchestown), Rubi Light (5.30 Punchestown), Raptor (6.40 Punchestown)
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