Chester Cup

Just the 1 winner on the last day of Punchestown

Garde Champetre @ 3/1.

We leave the jumps action now and concentrate on the flat season.

Chester Cup

Double Banded 3pts win @ 7-1.

DOUBLE BANDED is at the right end of the weights to wreak havoc in the big staying handicaps this season and can hammer out a message of intent by landing the Chester Cup in his first major test.

John Dunlop's progressive 4yo failed to make the frame on his first six starts at up to 1m4f but won over that trip in a low-grade Newcastle handicap at the end of last August, since when it's been a rapid rise through the ranks.

Four more wins and two places from his six outings since mid-September tell you all you want to know about his profile - he went up 32lb in the latter stage of last season and showed he was still very much on the upgrade when overcoming a couple of worrying negatives on his recent return to action at Nottingham.

Unproven in the testing ground and having sweated up quite badly in the preliminaries, the gelding was a big market drifter but defied the apparent lack of confidence with another smooth success.

That was over 1m6f but Double Handed is likely to prove even more of a force over the extra half-mile on the Roodeye judged by the facile manner in which he won a 2m handicap at Newmarket on his penultimate start last year.

The hallmark of his best performances is the ease with which he travels through a race and that high cruising speed is going to be a big plus in this helter-skelter of a handicap, with an almost guaranteed maximum field of 18 hurtling round the sharp bends and short straights.

The selection also has breeding on his side - one of his half brothers is Dusky Warbler, a Listed-class performer on the Flat at up to 2m2f, while another, Merry Merlin, showed his liking for this unique track when landing the Dee Stakes eight years ago before being sold to race in Hong Kong where he ran under the name Trillion Delight.

The other major bonus for ante-post players is that Double Banded is now proven on a variety of ground - his best efforts last year were on a quickish surface but he showed at Nottingham that he's equally effective under much slower conditions.

A 3lb penalty for that latest win takes him up to the 8st1lb mark and so keen is kerrin McEvoy to keep the ride that he has vowed to get down to his minimum of 8st 2lb, though that may not be necessary if, as seems likely, the weights rise by at least 6lb.

Either way, Double Banded looks set to get in at or near the foot of the handicap, while his tactical speed should enable him to overcome any possible draw bias - two of the last three winners, Greenwich Meantime and Anak Pekan, have come out of stalls 16 and 15 respectively, thereby nailing the myth that a wide draw is a bar to success.

At the time of writing, the market is headed by Highland Legacy, who cemented his claims by winning a Class 2 handicap over 2m at Ripon on his reappearance. Similar in profile to Double Banded - Michael Bell's 4yo won his last two starts last season - he is closely related to 2003 St Leger runner-up High Accolade and is bred to be much better than his current handicap mark.

He does seem particularly well suited to courses with a long home straight though and it remains to be seen whether he's as effective on this very different track, whereas we know Double Banded will be fine because he's run well over 1m6f at Wolverhampton.

Any little edge in experience can make the difference in these tight-knit handicaps and, on that basis, 8yo Greenwich Meantime can be expected to put up a bold defence of his crown off only a 1lb higher mark.

Richard Fahey's veteran may not have reproduced that level of form during the rest of the season but he comes alive in this race, having been an unlucky-in-running third two years ago. The one downside is that as he gets older, he's vulnerable to potentially well-handicapped horses such as Double Banded and Highland Legacy.

Black Rock looks a typical improver from the Michael Jarvis yard, successful with Anak Pekan twice, but unlike that horse he goes into the race unproven beyond 1m5f and that's been a difficult negative trend to overcome in the past.

- attheraces

PUNCHESTOWN FESTIVAL 2008 - DAY 5

SCOTSIRISH was a nice priced winner yesterday at around 7/1.

SUBLIMITY finished 2nd

RAISE YOUR HEART also finished 2nd at a decent price after being backed off the boards all day.

So on to the final days fare at PUNCHESTOWN and lets hope we can find a few more winners.

Good luck all!!

Tips:

2.35 Garde Champetre

Garde Champetre was a non runner here on Thursday but if taking his chance he can pick up the opening event. He won over this course and distance in February and confirmed himself a high class cross country performer by scoring at Cheltenham.


Heads Onthe Ground and Never Compromise who chased him home here two months ago are once again in opposition and are better off at the weights. However, a bigger danger is the La Touche runner up Wonderkid.
-sportinglife


3.45 Prince Of Leisure

In a competitive renewal of the Whitewater Centre Pat Taaffe Handicap Chase it could pay to side with the unexposed Prince Of Leisure who probably has more room for improvement than any of his rivals.

The winning pointer was an easy winner of a Down Royal beginners chase last month and performed very well in his first handicap twelve days later when he chased home San Angelo.

The bare form of those runs leave him with plenty to find but there could be better still to come from him. It looked as though the trip caught him out at Navan last time but possibly the testing ground proved his undoing that day and he should be worth siding with.
-sportinglife


4.20
Quevega
Personal Column

One of the season's leading juveniles, Franchoek, bids to round off an excellent season in the Eventus Marquees Champion 4YO Hurdle.

Alan King' charge sets an exacting standard on form by virtue of his runner-up finish in the Triumph Hurdle and his third to Elusive Dream at Aintree.

He has enjoyed a very industrious season and a similar remark applies to Won In The Dark, who hasn't looked back since winning the first juvenile hurdle of the season in Ireland.

His form includes a fine Grade 1 success at Leopardstown in December and an excellent third in Triumph. However, there could be some value to be had in taking on this pair with a rival whose campaign to date has been a light one.

Quevega is another good French import for Willie Mullins. She looked a decent sort when making a winning debut over hurdles at this track in February and she confirmed that impression when disposing of some useful previous winners in a conditions event at Gowran several weeks ago.

Her performances to date have indicated that she would be more than capable of holding her own in decent company and she gets the vote to land this championship event.
- sportinglife

Personal Column , already a Grade 2 winner, is possibly worth siding with in the featured 4:20 today. The Harrington runner ran well when seventh to Franchoek at Cheltenham and assuming that run has not left its mark, he should be thereabouts. The fact that he holds several of his opponents today on Irish form is another plus.
- attheraces


4.55
Heavenly Blues
Dancing Tornado
DEUTSCHLAND

Dancing Tornado appeared not to get home when strongly fancied at Cheltenham. This drop back to 2m 4f may suit better in the 4:55. A very free-going sort, he appears not to be getting home over extended distances at the moment, but is worth of a mention today especially on the basis of his second to Earth Magic in November.
- attheraces

Europe's riches handicap hurdle, the Ballymore 25th Anniversary Hurdle, takes centre stage on the concluding day of the festival where the Ted Walsh-trained Heavenly Blues is put forward to score.

One could make a case for well over half the field in this two and a half mile event but certainly one of the most interesting runners is the ex-German performer who made up into quite a decent novice hurdler last season.

While he never took on the best of his generation Heavenly Blues showed up well against some decent sorts last term when he won twice over timber and rounded off his campaign with a creditable second to Scotsirish at Fairyhouse.

He was then off the track for a year but made a highly encouraging comeback on the Flat at the Curragh this month when running third in a mile and a half handicap.

He should be all the better for that run and looks quite capable of improving on what he has already shown over hurdles.

It would not surprise if one of his main opponents proved to be Clew Bay Lodge whose trainer Colm Murphy has enjoyed a good meeting thus far.

The Presenting gelding made up into quite a decent sort in the autumn when his form included a clear cut win in a useful Naas handicap hurdle over this trip.

His 153-day absence is of little concern as he has in the past run well after a break and earlier in the week Murphy did bring Bambootcha back from a ten month layoff to win a very competitive two mile handicap hurdle.
- sportinglife

PUNCHESTOWN FESTIVAL 2008 - DAY 4

Complete blank on Thursday unfortunately!!

There were a few big priced surprise winners, but hopefully Day 4 will provide us with a few earning opportunities!!

3.05

Beantown (e/w)

Beantown ran way below his best when pulling up in the four miler at Cheltenham but that run was simply too bad to be true and he is put forward in the 3m 6f handicap chase.

He is particularly good jumper who won't have any difficulty seeing out this trip and is probably better equipped for this than many of his rivals.
- sportinglife

3.45

Scotsirish

He faces no easy task off top weight but Scotsirish could be the answer in the betfair.com Novice Handicap Chase.

His jumping has cost him on several occasions this season but his Leopardstown beginners chase defeat of Wins Now was a decent effort and in the Arkle at Cheltenham he did produce his best round of jumping to date.

Although he eventually had to settle for seventh behind Tiday Bay he did run a fair bit better than his finishing position suggests.

He is relatively unproven over this trip but it is worth recalling that he is a former winning point-to-pointer and as a son of Zaffaran this 2m 5f should be well within his grasp.

He probably has most to fear from Notable D'Estruval who got up to record a dramatic last gasp victory in a handicap here on Wednesday.

He has picked up a nine pound penalty for that success but this should not be enough to prevent him from playing a major role.
- sportinglife


4.20

Sublimity

Sublimity is a confident choice to land the featured ACC Bank Champion Hurdle on the penultimate day of the meeting.

John Carr's charge has run just twice since famously landing the 2007 Champion Hurdle and made a brave defence of his title at Prestbury Park last month where he fared best of the Irish contingent by taking fourth behind Katchit.

That represented a fine effort on just his second run of the season and on ground that was slower than ideal. The conditions here should be more in the eight-year-old's favour.

He has something to find with Punjabi who was just one place in front of him last time but should be more than capable of reversing the placings with that rival.

In fact it would not surprise if he were given most to do by Harchibald. The latter was unable to land a telling blow at Cheltenham when he too was badly inconvenienced by the ground.

Prior to that he had won well on the flat at Dundalk and he showed earlier this season that he had been restored to the peak of his powers when defeating Al Eile and Katchit in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle.
- sportinglife

4.55

Rinroe

Fiveforthree makes a quick reappearance in the Land Rover Champion Novice Hurdle following his third to Jered here on Tuesday.

The Ballymore Properties Novice Hurdle hero will probably be happier back over this trip and is an obvious contender for further Grade 1 glory.

However, it could be worth siding with Rinroe who at least has the advantage of coming here off a less than arduous campaign.

He started off his season with low key victories at Sligo and Galway and bounced back from a lacklustre effort at Fairyhouse by winning on the flat at the Curragh last month.

There was considerable merit in that Curragh defeat of Shirley Casper and Dreamy Gent, who didn't do the form any harm by running well in a competitive handicap here on Tuesday.

Noel Meade has long held Rinroe in the highest regard and, while his ability to handle this ground is open to question, he is worth taking a chance on.

Another that commands the utmost respect is Trafford Lad who ran a fine third to Fiveforthree at Cheltenham last time.

He is already a Grade 1 winner over this trip and has established himself as one of the best staying novices around.
- sportinglife


5.30

Raise Your Heart

In the two mile novice hurdle it is hard to look past the chances of Raise Your Heart who has quickly made up into a useful performer in this sphere.

He was a respectable fourth in a Grade 2 event here in Punchestown on desperate ground but a better effort was his somewhat unlucky third to Northern Alliance in a useful Leopardstown handicap in March.

On ratings he is the pick of these and he will take plenty of beating.
- sportinglife

PUNCHESTOWN FESTIVAL 2008 - DAY 3

3 nice priced winners yeasterday, lets hope we have more of the same today.


2.30 - Here Comes Sally - WON @ 14/1

4.50 Notable D'Estruval - WON @ 7/1

5.25 Cousin Vinny - WON @ 9/2


2.30

The Gloves Are Off

The Gloves Are Off may be worth an interest in the opening conditions hurdle. He had shaped like a promising sort heading to Cheltenham where he could never land a telling blow and was well beaten behind Captain Cee Bee. He is better than that run implies and deserves another chance.
- sportinglife


3.05

Freneys Well

Enda Bolger can maintain his remarkable stranglehold on the Avon Ri Corporate & Leisure Resort Chase and it would not surprise if he were to send out another one-two but not in the order that many might expect.

Garde Champetre is the obvious choice having picked up cross country events here and at Cheltenham, thus developing into a high class performer in this discipline. However, he does have the welter burden of 12st 7lbs to overcome and it could be worth taking a chance on Freneys Well.

The latter was a respectable fourth to his stablemate at Cheltenham and produced a fine display in this race last year when he chased home Spot Thedifference. A New Story also commands maximum respect having run third at Cheltenham and fourth in the Irish National. The four and a quarter mile trip will be right up his street.
- sportinglife

Freneys Well

Enda Bolger will win the 3.05 today, he has done for the last few seasons but which will it be one asks. Garde Champetre finally delivered here and at Cheltenham there is no denying his class but he really has a welter burden today over this 4m 2f and that has to be a worry. I like Freneys Well here the mount of the superb JT McNamara who a bit to find with his stablemate on Cheltenham running. He is however weighted to get closer, is younger and possibly open to a bit more improvement and is just the type to give Garde Champetre the most to do. At the very least he is likely to make the frame.
- attheraces

3.40

Thyne Again

Earlier Thyne Again is put forward in the Cathal Ryan Memorial Swordlestown Cup Novice Chase. He has enjoyed a fine first season over fences which has seen him record a runaway success in the Arkle at Leopardstown in January and in a Grade 2 at Naas the following month.

A creditable fourth to Tidal Bay at Cheltenham last month established him as Ireland's leading two mile novice chaser. There was nothing wrong with that run and he travelled and jumped particularly well that day.

However, Thyne Again possibly didn't run right up to his best at Prestbury Park and it is worth taking the chance that there could be better to come from Liam Burke's charge.

J'y Vole produced one of the performances of the season to win the Dr P J Moriarty Novice Chase despite doing everything wrong. However, that race looked to have left its mark when she could manage only third behind Thyne Again at Naas. She has had two months to recover from that but could just have to settle for a minor role.

Big Zeb looks more than capable of reversing Powers Gold Cup form with Conna Castle over this shorter trip and a big run from him would not surprise. Furthermore the talented Perce Rock cannot be discounted. He probably wasn't at his best when winning at Fairyhouse last month and he has won his three completed starts over fences. It is worth remembering that the best performance of his career came on good ground when he was fourth in the Cheltenham bumper two years ago.
- sportinglife

Wishwillow Lord

The ground is likely to play a huge part in The Grade 1 Swordlestown Cup at 3.40. Any ease will bolster confidence in J'yVole who has been so well placed by connections in receipt of all the allowances and she is a worthy favourite. I was taken however by the performance of Wishwillow Lord when he ran second to Schindlers Hunt recently at Fairyhouse and will give him my vote here. Wishwillow Lord has some very decent form to his name as well as plenty of chasing experience. If he jumps as well as he did the last time he is very capable of playing a big part here and rates a good solid each way selection.
- attheraces


4.15

Savitha

The two mile handicap chase looks a particularly tricky affair but Savitha should not be discounted. Her jumping has cost her dearly since she picked up a beginners event here in October but with a clear round she is more than capable of making her presence felt here.
- sportinglife

Medicinal

Elsewhere on what looks a very competitive fixture I think that Medicinal rates a good each way bet in a very competitive 2m-handicap chase at 4.15. Medicinal is well suited to sounder conditions and has not been disgraced on his two starts so far this Year in what has been a fairly easy campaign for him. He will come here fresher than most in this field and is capable of troubling a few of the principals.
- attheraces


4.50

Cooldine

The hugely progressive Cooldine gets the vote to cement his status as one of the season's outstanding staying novices in the Ladbrokes.com World Series Hurdle.

The Willie Mullins inmate met with defeat on his first two starts over timber but has since gone from strength to strength and comes into this race searching for his sixth straight victory. He has improved markedly with each success and comes here off a brave victory in a decent novice hurdle at Fairyhouse last month.

Cooldine had a hard enough race that day but he has had a month to recover and the step up to this three miles will be in his favour. This is comfortably the toughest assignment of his career but there is definitely more to come from the six-year-old and he can see off this high class field.

The World Hurdle third Kazal sets the standard on form and will be a formidable opponent. The classy Aitmatov wasn't disgraced in that same Cheltenham race and must not be underestimated either. In a superb renewal of this race one could also make a strong case for the exciting Venalmar who steps up to this trip following an excellent second to Fiveforthree in the Ballymore Properties Novice Hurdle.
- sportinglife

Venalamar

I am a huge fan of Kazal who despite having a calamitous start to his chasing career has certainly redeemed his lofty reputation with some solid efforts now reverting to hurdles. He ran so well at Cheltenham to finish third to Inglis Drever that he must be a major player today especially now tried in the first time visor, he is sure to go very close.

This race however poses a bit of a problem for me as I am also very taken by the top class prospect Venalamar . Mouse Morris's charge is clearly going places. Following a very solid campaign in the best staying hurdles he went to Cheltenham on the back of a very gutsy win in Graded company at Naas. At Prestbury park he travelled and jumped like a dream only giving way late on to the high class Fiveforthree. It can be argued that his conqueror that day has not franked the form this week, but in Venalmar we have a horse that is surely destined for the top on the evidence of what I have seen. His ability to jump so well is a huge positive and Paddy Flood seems to really get the best out of him are huge positives too. His form stands up to the closest scrutiny and I am loathe to leave him out of my calculations today, respectful I am of the others, but this horse should he win might just signal the dawn of a new era for the future.
-attheraces


5.25

Ardalan

Paul Nolan has not enjoyed the best of times of late, his yard have however signalled a return to some kind of form of late and his charge Ardalan is of interest in the 3m handicap hurdle 5.25. The mount of Alan Cawley, who did this column a favour when winning on Here Comes Sally at 14/1 on Wednesday. Ardalan was a winner at Clonmel in November over this trip and was not at all disgraced when last seen at Leopardstown finishing sixth to Northern Alliance in early March. That run should see him strip fitter today and with Nolans team beginning to find their feet he is well worth a look.
- attheraces

PUNCHESTOWN FESTIVAL 2008 - DAY 2

Yesterday I spent some time doing a bit of research on the PUNCHESTOWN meeting and managed to back 3 winners on Day 1; plus was very unlucky when Ruby Walsh got headed on the line on a 10/1 shot that finished 2nd beaten by a NOSE!!

So I thought I would post some of the industry media opinions and what I concluded after reading and listening to what seems like 1001 different articles, jockey & trainer interviews etc. etc. about all the action on Day 2.

2.30

Here Comes Sally

The day kicks off with a really tough 2m-4f-handicap hurdle, a chance can be made for several here but Here Comes Sally gets my vote. A winner here three starts back on heavy ground, she is holding her form well and whilst I have slight reservations about today's ground, she could just manage to go close, having run well on yielding ground at Fairyhouse when fourth to Western Gale when last seen. - attheraces

3.05

Silverhand

Silverhand could be the answer in the Evening Herald Hurdle. He ran some way below his best in the Triumph at Cheltenham but his previous form would give him a leading chance. He did very well to overcome trouble in running to make a winning jumping debut here in October and looked quite a smart juvenile hurdler when chasing home Beau Michael in a Grade 2 at Fairyhouse in February.
- sportinglife

Temlett
The 4yo hurdle has an even tougher look about it. Temlett was a horse I thought was going to be a big player this Year. A very smart flat performer he has had a somewhat mixed time of things over hurdles. I think a lot of that can be attributed to the ground, and now he has better conditions he could just surprise a few doubters today. His ninth to Celestial Halo in The Triumph Hurdle was a good effort in the circumstances and it is far too soon to write him off, I expect a good show. - attheraces


3.40

The Hurl

Siegemaster and Shakervilz are two obvious contenders for the three mile novice hurdle but The Hurl could be worth a speculative investment. He has it all to do against several of these and is still a maiden after three starts over hurdles. Nonetheless it is significant that his trainer is allowing him to take his chance here.

The step up to this trip on this ground will certainly be in his favour and he has shaped like a horse with a decent future on several occasions this season.
- sportinglife


4.15

Mossbank

The Michael Hourigan-trained Mossbank gets the vote to cement to position as the best staying chaser in Ireland by winning the featured Guinness Gold Cup.

The eight-year-old has enjoyed an excellent season to date and comes here off two cracking runs in defeat. On ground that was slower than ideal he chased home Denman in December's Lexus Chase and at Cheltenham he found only Our Vic too strong in the Ryanair Chase.

That last-named pair have since done their bit for the selection's form by going on to win the Gold Cup and Totesport Bowl respectively.

Mossbank has already won twice over three miles but the extended 3m 1f trip is a slight concern for the eight-year-old. However, it is worth bearing mind that all his previous victories have come going right handed and the prevailing good ground will bring out the very best in the Kadeed gelding.
- sportinglife

Kicking King

I am siding with the great Kicking King and hoping he is coming back to somewhere near his best form. Twice a winner of The King George at Kempton and indeed the Gold Cup itself he is a very high-class horse. Following a most pleasing return to action he failed to deliver when next seen out, again at Gowran Park, sparking fears that he was a light of former Years. It transpired however that he was suffering from a minor back ailment and his trainer is convinced he has him back to near his best now. That being the case, he must have a live chance today infact if even 80% as good he would win this race. I hope he does but I am playing safe with an each way selection.
- attheraces

4.50

Notable D'Estruval

Arthur Moore's Notable D'Estruval is worth another chance in a competitive looking Ulster Bank Handicap Chase.

The seven-year-old's last two efforts leave something to be desired but he was some way below his best on both occasions. Previously he made a most encouraging handicap debut in the Leopardstown Chase where he took third behind Mister Top Notch and King Johns Castle. He is open to plenty of improvement after just four runs over fences and can deal with the challenge of Carrigeen Kalmia who was a fine second to Royal County Star in this race last year.
- sportinglife

Royal Heritage

Royal Heritage has finally been given some respite by the handicapper and looks interesting in the 2m-4f-handicap chase at 4.50 for Willie Mullins. He has been a tad disappointing, but if repeating his second to the ill fated The Budgee at Leopardstown in late January he would not be that far away. Also interesting is the fact that he has been mixing it over hurdles as well, perhaps with an eye to a race like this.
- attheraces


5.25

Cousin Vinny

No horse has ever completed the Cheltenham Bumper/Paddy Power Champion INH Flat Race double but Cousin Vinny could be the one to break that trend.

He at least has the advantage of having had just two races this season and he produced a terrific effort at Cheltenham last month to see off compatriots Corskeagh Royale and Zaarito.

That performance came on the back of a debut success at this track and as a son of Bob Back he should have little difficulty coping with the ground. After just two starts there should still be better to come from him and he can confirm Prestbury Park form with Corskeagh Royale.
- sportinglife