* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
The fifth and final day of the Punchestown Festival is upon us and you can enjoy a packed an eight-race schedule.
In the 15:20, Willie Mullins will be hoping to secure another winner, with Concertista, Stormy Ireland and Burning Victory all racing in the Mares Champion Hurdle.
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Quilixios and Zanahiyr will then go head to head in the 16:00 Champion Four Year Old Hurdle.
Paddy Power and top Paddy Trader Frank Hickey assessed the Punchestown card on the latest edition of Paddy Power’s From the Horses Mouth podcast, focusing on the last day of this week’s showcase Festival that brings the curtain down on the Irish jumps season.
15:20 – My Sister Sarah
My Sister Sarah wasn’t disgraced in the Mares Hurdle when fifth, beaten by 11 lengths. I’m pretty sure she is a good deal better going right handed.
She’s 0-6 left handed and didn’t even hit the places in any of those six starts. Her record right handed is four wins and four seconds from nine starts.
My Sister Sarah is 2-2 at Punchestown as well, winning her maiden hurdle very easily and bolting up in a handicap hurdle at the 2019 Festival over 3m.
She has a decent record on good ground and she hasn’t got it since that Punchestown Festival win. There’s a lot to like at a big price with conditions ideal and Willie bombing.
16:00 – Haut En Couleurs
Fusil Raffles won this when last run in 2019 but prior to that Willie Mullins had won this in the previous six years. Not one of those 6 winners had won the Triumph and that includes Saldier, Bapaume, Apples Jade, Petit Parisienne, Abbyssial and Diakali.
Haut En Colours won on his hurdles debut in October in France and then wasn’t seen until his excellent third in the Triumph, where he travelled well.
He is surely going to build on that and the yard couldn’t be in better form. Meanwhile, Henry and Sneezy’s stables are not firing this week.
16:30 – Sam Brown
This doesn’t look the strongest race and Sam Brown might just be able to outclass the rest. He’s extremely lightly raced for a 9 year old and he has only had eight career starts, so clearly it has been difficult to keep him sound.
I wouldn’t want the ground to dry out too much but it has been riding on the slow side of good all week.
Sam Brown was top class in bumpers and in four chase starts he bolted up on his first two, including in a Haydock Grade 3, before disappointing when favourite for last season’s Reynoldstown at Ascot.
He made an excellent reappearance when a close third to Imperial Aura at Carlisel but was conceding 2lb to him over a trip that would have been on the sharp side. That was back in November and he hasn’t been seen since but he does tend to go well fresh and he might be able to dominate these and crack them one by one.
17:05 – Foveros
Willie Mullins has won this six times in the last 10 years, including the last three renewals with 20/1, 14/1 & 20/1 shots and he is mob handed here with Coral Cup fourth Sayo likely to be his first string with Rachel Blackmore on.
Chatham Street Lad is also an intriguing runner off 136 considering his chase mark is 151.
Emmett Mulllins has two live chances with Cape Gentleman making his handicap debut off 140, after winning the Grade 2 Dovecote on his last start and he is rated 100 on the flat.
Emmett also has The Shunter running off 143 and he is rated 152 over fences after his second in a Grade 1 at Aintree over fences and his impressive win in the Paddy Power Plate at Cheltenham prior to that off a mark of 140.
Gabynako was smashed in the market on his handicap debut in the Martin Pipe but was unseated at the first hurdle and must be well treated off 138, though the Cromwell form is a little bit of a concern.
Foveros couldn’t be more from left field in a field full of really obvious types. He ran a fair race at Fairyhouse earlier in April when eighth off 136 when a 66/1 shot but that was his first run since September and 2m is too sharp for him.
He has only had nine starts over hurdles and was considering good enough to contest Grade 2 and Grade 1 races last season when a novice.
He has only ever run over two and a half miles twice, both at Galway in novice races and both times he was successful.
It’s his first time coming back to this trip in handicaps and he is definitely one that will appreciate good ground.
He’s likely to be a wild price but Pont Aven was a close second at 40/1 in a handicap chase on Wednesday so I wouldn’t let that put you off!
Frank Hickey’s best bets for Day 5:
15:20 – My Sister Sarah
16:00 – Haut En Couleurs
16:30 – Sam Brown
17:05 – Foveros
* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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