Horse Racing Tips: 5 to thrive at Punchestown & Cork on Sunday

James has his say on the ones to watch at the Cork and Punchestown tracks on Sunday.

Horse-Racing-generic-Cork

*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.

James Shortt’s Sunday Tips:

12:20 Punchestown – Good Heaven
12:30 Cork – Itswhatunitesus
13:30 Punchestown – Minella Crooner
14:05 Punchestown – State Man (NAP)
15:50 Punchestown – Cato Capone

12:20 Punchestown – Good Heaven

There are some interesting recruits to hurling in this juvenile contest which can go the way of GOOD HEAVENS for Joseph O’Brien. The son of Zoffany is the choice of Mark Walsh over fellow J.P McManus owned runner Sundial with this horse reaching the low hundreds on official flat ratings. He already got the better of Impero on the level at Leopardstown and despite defeat in a Premier Handicap at HQ last month, he’s the one to beat and could develop into a Triumph Hurdle player.

He secured another victory at Cork earlier this summer before running a nice second-place effort in the Paddy Power Irish Cambridgeshire. Impero looks the main danger for me following his second-place finish on his hurling debut at Galway for Tom and Bryan Cooper. Elsewhere, it would be no surprise to see Sundial get involved for Padraig Roche with Nusret and Calico others fighting for a place.

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12:30 Cork – Itswhatunitesus (NB)

There was very little between ITSWHATUNITESUS and Embassy Gardens when finishing behind Facile Vega at Leopardstown last February with both meeting again here in this 2-mile maiden hurdle. The clear choice here is for Gordon Elliott’s runner to remain ahead of his Willie Mullins rival thanks to the benefit of a hurdles run at Galway last month. Davy Russell remains in the saddle and that experience looks the deciding factor as Embassy Gardens makes his hurdling debut.

Elsewhere, we should give a mention to Minella Majestic for John Nallen who returns to the track for the first time since 2019. The son of Shantou has clearly had his issues in recent years but did manage to beat Grand National winner Nobel Yeats in a Ballindenisk point-to-point. Some really nice horses have won this race over the years, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Itswhatunitesus pays his way for connections in better races down the line after scoring this event.

13:30 Punchestown – Minella Crooner

The fact Gordon Elliott has decided to go straight into graded company with MINELLA CROONER suggests he’s schooled well at home and looks an exciting staying novice chaser for the season ahead. He’s developed nicely in recent years following his point-to-point success for John Nallen before claiming a few bumpers, a maiden hurdle and an excellent second to Minella Cocooner at the Dublin Racing Festival back in February.

The son of Shantou will need to be smart against this field on return with Thedevilscoachman and every other rival all having the benefit of runs in recent months. Noel Meade’s runner got the job done at Galway but wasn’t fluent or spectacular, while stable-mate Idas Boy gave El Barra a race when second at Cork earlier this month. Jack Kennedy will do his best to get Minella Crooner into a nice early rhythm and with plenty of pace on here, this race might just work tactically with success.

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14:05 Punchestown – State Man (NAP)

Willie Mullins has farmed the Morgiana Hurdle with a record 11 victories since his first success with Padashpan in 1993 and saddles Saldier, Sharjah and STATE MAN in Sunday’s Punchestown feature. Paul Townend rides the son of Doctor Dino, who returns to hurdles following impressive victories at both the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals earlier this year. Saldier and Sharjah are previous winners and are solid yardsticks to determine if State Man is a geninue Champion Hurdle contender.

Sharjah runs well fresh and has been a great servant to Rich and Susannah Richi with six graded victories at the highest level and a Galway Hurdle. This race is going to be a tactical battle with either Saldier under Danny Mullins or Teahupoo for Gordon Elliott the most likely pacesetters. This should be set-up for a late battle from off the pace between Paul Townend and Patrick Mullins with the younger legs of State Man having enough class to score.

15:50 Punchestown – Cato Capone

The Four Sixes was a nice winner for the McNeill Family at Clonmel earlier this week and CATO CAPONE can give them and fellow owners, the Stone Family success in the closing Punchestown bumper. The son of Notnowcato was a little sloppy in jumping in his sole point-to-point at Ballynoe but wasn’t beaten far when second to Encanto Bruno. That horse has subsequently enhanced the form with wins at Cork and Cheltenham for new trainer John McConnell.

Lecky Watson is the obvious danger for Willie Mullins as the two power houses in Irish racing do battle. This son of Valirann was a little unlucky when finishing second to stable-mate Icare Desbois in a decent sales bumper at Fairyhouse in April and can surely improve to win. The rest of the opposition looks weak and it’s effectively a match in a race won by Letsbeclearaboutit and Minella Croooner in recent seasons.

James Shortt’s Sunday Tips:

12:20 Punchestown – Good Heaven
12:30 Cork – Itswhatunitesus
13:30 Punchestown – Minella Crooner
14:05 Punchestown – State Man (NAP)
15:50 Punchestown – Cato Capone

*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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