The Irish horse racing broadcaster has three selections on offer for Wednesday's card at the Punchestown Festival.
The Punchestown Gold Cup is always one of the highlights of the week and this year’s edition of the €300,000 contest is very much about quality over quantity, with just four set to line up.
Galopin Des Champs is favourite to bounce back from his defeat to Inothewayurthinkin at Cheltenham, but he has been turned over in this race for the last two years and may again have to play second fiddle to SPILLANE’S TOWER / (17:30).
In contrast to his novice chasing season, it’s been a very light campaign for Jimmy Mangan’s stable star, who comes here having had just two starts after being withdrawn at the 11th hour due to unsuitable ground at Aintree earlier this month. He admittedly proved disappointing when well-fancied for the King George at Kempton on his most recent start, but a reproduction of his previous second to Fact To File at this venue in the John Durkan Memorial – with Galopin Des Champs 2¼ lengths back in third – would give him a huge chance of landing back-to-back festival successes.
King George hero Banbridge never threatened in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham but cannot be ruled out if back to something like his best.
HONESTY POLICY / (16:15) has come a long way in a short space of time and the five-year-old may be able to follow up his Aintree success in the Channor Real Estate Group Novice Hurdle. Gordon Elliott’s charge did really well to peg back the enterprisingly ridden Regent’s Stroll in the Turners Mersey Novice Hurdle last time and, based on how he finished off that race, this further step up in distance promises to bring out the best in him. Albert Bartlett winner Jasmin De Vaux is obviously a huge threat but it’s worth remembering he did blow out at this meeting last year after scoring at Cheltenham.
It might be worth giving SCOTCANTOU / (15:05) another chance on his second start for Henry de Bromhead in the €75,000 Connolly’s Red Mills EBF Auction series final at 15:05. A 14/1 maiden winner at Galway in October, the Shantou gelding ran an eye-catching race despite finishing last of seven on his final start for Eoin McCarthy in a red-hot Grade 3 at Fairyhouse a month later.
He was a big market mover on his debut for his new yard at Naas last month, but was ultimately well beaten behind the smart Shuffle The Deck. However, it’s quite possible the run may have been needed after a four-month layoff and there is unlikely to be anything of the winner’s calibre in this line-up. The step up to 2m3f+ is also a potential positive.
Visit Betway’s horse racing betting page.
