IT’S been an awesome week right here up to now at Punchestown, with beautiful climate and large crowds having fun with some tremendous racing, in addition to loads of leisure across the course.
However there’s no let-up within the motion on-track and the function race on Day Three is the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers’ Hurdle.
The reigning champion is again however Teahupoo, now geared up with blinkers, is a fear to me. He disillusioned at Cheltenham when he actually ought to have gotten the job accomplished so I’m going to oppose him – regardless of the first-time headgear and his course type – along with his previous adversary, Bob Olinger.
Bob Olinger was a winner finally 12 months’s Cheltenham Competition
Bob beat him when third to House By The Lee at Cheltenham, he adopted him dwelling at Leopardstown, however final 12 months’s Cheltenham pageant winner remains to be comparatively gentle by way of mileage on the clock. With the bottom being as fast as it’s, I believe a small subject will go well with Darragh O’Keeffe, that he can wait and pounce late on Bob Olinger. He is likely to be 11, however I believe the horse remains to be comparatively calmly raced for his age.
Bob Olinger has solely ever completed exterior the primary three twice in his 21-run profession and I believe he’ll be again to profitable methods for Henry de Bromhead within the Stayers’ Hurdle.
The Barberstown Fortress Novice Chase over two miles is the opposite Grade One occasion at the moment. As a broadcaster, you at all times ask your self the way you construct a race, how it’s best to current it to the viewers and I’m going to current this as if Kopek Des Bordes is the long run Champion Chaser.
He’s a machine – to run in addition to he did at Cheltenham given the errors he made, significantly the one on the final, I assumed he got here out with severe credit score regardless of not profitable the race.
Kopek Des Bordes is the quickest right here and probably a famous person of the long run, and I hope he proves it right here as a result of it’s been a troublesome season since he received his freshmen’ chase again in November.
I believe that is his race – he might simply make all as a result of I’m unsure something will be capable of dwell with him right here.
Eddie Cawley’s Come Stroll With Me was significantly spectacular at Fairyhouse over Easter, and the handicapper was suitably impressed as properly as a result of he gave him 11 kilos of a hike. However I don’t suppose that might be sufficient to cease him from touchdown the Frontline Safety Handicap Chase (4.50).
We all know he can deal with the higher floor, he’s a horse that has loads of expertise from earlier within the season. Proprietor, coach and breeder Eddie Cawley might have a wise horse on his fingers with Come Stroll With Me.
There are some high-profile horses in opposition that he has to provide weight away to, however I used to be very impressed with him at Fairyhouse and I believe he can observe it up right here.
The Conway Piling Handicap Hurdle over three miles is at 4.15 and for this one I like a horse known as Karl Des Tourelles, who was crushed slightly below 5 lengths by Air Of Entitlement within the Martin Pipe Hurdle on the Cheltenham pageant.
This can be a step up in journey however I don’t see that as being an enormous subject for him, as a result of he was positioned on this race final 12 months – he completed fourth off the exact same mark as a five-year-old.
I believe his type this 12 months stacks up as higher and he is available in right here after what was a career-best effort at Cheltenham, so Karl Des Tourelles to land this for Philip Fenton and Brian Hayes.
JANE’S BEST BETS
NAP OF THE DAY
Kopek Des Bordes
Barberstown Fortress Novice Chase, 5.25
EACH-WAY
Karl Des Tourelles
Conway Piling Handicap Hurdle, 4.15
The La Touche Cup is a good and thrilling spectacle yearly – it’s the longest race run on this nation at 4 miles and a furlong, over 35 obstacles on a route that visits all corners of the course.
Vanillier has been round and about for some time now. From ending second within the Aintree Grand Nationwide again in 2023, he has tailored properly to the cross-country self-discipline and completed third on the Cheltenham pageant on his newest begin – the second 12 months in a row to complete third in that occasion.
He’s a horse that had a whole lot of class up to now – he received the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle again in 2021 however now at 11 years of age, issues are occurring that bit extra slowly for him.
On the plus aspect, he has blinkers on and Keith Donoghue within the saddle; the unfavorable is that he has high weight to concede. However given how a lot he likes the monitor – he has received the PP Hogan Cross Nation Chase right here for the final two seasons – I believe Vanillier is a strong choice within the La Touche.
At 3.05 it’s the Shut Brothers Mares Novice Hurdle and I actually just like the prospects of Diamond Du Berlais. I believe this can be a weak sufficient race, and Willie Mullins positively holds the important thing with three of the six runners.
Diamond Du Berlais ran with credit score within the equal race on the Cheltenham Competition having come from France with good expertise – she really contested a Grade One there.
Paul Townend is using Future Prospect however Patrick Mullins retains the experience on Diamond Du Berlais and I believe he’s on the best one right here.
The opening race is a novice hurdle over two miles and there are some horses coming in very calmly raced, however Chief D’allier has had three runs since Christmas.
He has disillusioned given the fame he had going into the Cheltenham pageant. He was a late withdrawal out of the Supreme when lame and he was a no-show at Fairyhouse for some cause, when he was a well-beaten even-money favorite.
However I’m hoping this higher floor – his type in France was on good – will ignite the fireplace on the workforce at Closutton are seeing at dwelling.
Chief D’allier had a string of ones subsequent to his title from France, and I hope Willie Mullins can discover the important thing to him at the moment.
