Saturday at Punchestown is the final day of a fantastic week of racing. What it also tells you is that Willie Mullins has some amount of nice horses in his care!
It is just sheer volume of nice young talent and lots of established stars too. In Saturday’s handicap hurdle he has 14 of the 25 runners.
14:35 Punchestown
We kick off with a banks race and it is always hard to get away from Enda Bolger in these races, even though Josies Orders ran a belter in defeat the other night. He’s still going to be hard to beat, the each-way selection is The Crafty Butcher who represents the all conquering team of Willie Mullins.
15:10 Punchestown
I like Lasoscar in here at the bottom of the weights for Liam Cusack. This horse has solid form over hurdles and fences – the ground is getting more testing with the rain that has fallen bound to make it harder work. Some Neck is the other who is bound to bounce back from disappointing at Limerick last time.
15:50 Punchestown
Apples Jade will be all the rage here after her below form effort at Cheltenham. The feeling with her is that she is much better after a run – she is also better going right-handed as she showed a tendency to jump that way in her last two starts. Lets Dance at a big price is the each-way as she has been really fancied lately and not delivered, but could bounce back here.
16:25 Punchestown
A fascinating contest with the first two home in the Triumph Hurdle taking each other on for the third time. This is the decider because it’s one each. There is no doubt Farclas is the horse with the most scope to improve having had so little experience. However, this is a much sharper track than the new course at Cheltenham and I think that swings it in Mr Adjudicator‘s favour.
17:00 Punchestown
Forever Gold ran his heart out in the Irish National only to be narrowly beaten by General Principle. He ran a cracker here last year when probably a little unlucky. He is not much higher in the weights and at a decent price he is my each-way selection in here.
17:35 Punchestown
Gordon Elliot has a very interesting runner in Yaha Fizz, who’s having only its second run for him and could be better for the run behind Low Sun at Fairyhouse. Early Doors representing Joseph O’Brien and JP McManus has some classy form to his name and is another in here who should be playing a part at the finish.
18:10 Punchestown
Not a lot to go on here as they are all debutants on the track but some have won point-to-points.
Dlauro cost 410,000 at the sales and connections will hope he can run well here.
Passageway represents Willie and Patrick Mullins and was second to a smart horse in his point. The market will provide the biggest clues here.
Head over to PaddyPower.com for the latest betting on the 2018 Punchestown Festival