PUNCHESTOWN DAY ONE: SHAMROCK looks ahead to the first day of the 2016 Punchestown Festival with selections in all seven races on the card which starts at 3.40.
Seven races on the opening day of Punchestown and just like Cheltenham it’s littered with Willie Mullins trained hotpots !!
The going is good to yielding.
3:40 Kildare Hunt Club Fr Sean Breen Memorial Chase For The Ladies Perpetual Cup (5yo+, 3m, 9 runners)
Deep breath. Here goes… Not the easiest of starters for punters but in the case of Punchestown it really IS a case of it being a marathon not a sprint! Possibly foolishly but I want to be against Nina Carberry here. She bids for a hat-trick in this race but I can’t really be with her partner today, last year’s winner, Wish Ye Didnt at short odds. The mare was pulled up at Cork last time out and before that was last of four at Fairyhouse. The ground will suit her better today for sure but the odds are short enough for me to press the BETDAQ lay button at around 2.5.
4:20 Herald Champion Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) (5yo+, Class 1, 2m, 6 runners)
I can’t see any reasons for taking on the favourite here though. Yorkhill has had a terrific season and the only doubt for taking short odds (and it applies really to any runner this week) is whether the long season will catch up with them? Yorkhill remains unbeaten and bids for a Cheltenham/Aintree/Punchestown treble. He ran an odd race at Aintree and had to work very hard to beat Le Prezien. I prefer to judge him on his earlier efforts and he looks the day one banker.
4:55 Killashee Handicap Hurdle (Grade B) (4yo+, 2m, 21 runners)
If the layers are in trouble after the first two races then they will definitely be looking at this to get a result. 21 runners and races that the BETDAQ place market was invented for! There’s also a five place market. I’m sticking with the four places and The Plan Man at around 4.2. He showed his current well being with an excellent second in a Grade B at Fairyhouse last time out.
5:30 Boylesports Champion Chase (Grade 1) (5yo+, Class 1, 2m, 7 runners)
I can’t be backing Vautour at long odds-on and share DAQMAN’s view in looking for a place alternative. It makes sense given there are the ‘dead eight’ runners with two places up for grabs assuming Vautour completes. Vautour took a right pearler at Aintree last time out and you never quite know what that will do to a horses confidence. I can back the ultra reliable Special Tiara to place at the same odds as Vautour to win and with two extra chances is the way to go.
6:05 Goffs Land Rover Bumper (4-5yo, 2m, 16 runners)
Jenkins looked very smart when making a winning debut at Newbury and had the rest of the field well strung out. Race readers dished out every platitude going and I think he will be a tough nut to crack. I appreciate there are lots of dark horses in races of this type but at around 2.3 he is my day one nap.
6:40 Growise Champion Novice Chase (Grade 1) (5yo+, Class 1, 3m 1f, 9 runners)
One thing I didn’t expect to see this week was Rule The World back in action so soon after his Grand National triumph. My instinct is to press the place lay button given the recovery period must be in question but a lot of people have got there first and I’m not really into laying at anything priced around 3/1 or more. It’s an open and high quality race but there are also several questionable jumpers. I like Henryville who is good on the jumping front and that might count for a lot as he attempts to prove himself at the top table.
7:15 Donohue Marquees Flat Race (4yo, 2m, 17 runners)
33/1 winner of this last year and it could be ripe for a shock today too. In terms of a bet…….Pass !!! (Sorry).
SHAMROCK’S BETS
3.40 Wish Ye Didnt (LAY)
4.20 Yorkhill (WIN, NEXT BEST)
4.55 The Plan Man (PLACE, 4 place market)
5.30 Special Tiara (PLACE, 3 place market)
6.05 Jenkins (NAP)
6.40 Henryville (WIN)
7.15 NO BET
£25 IN FREE BETS
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