Good jumps card in Ireland today

The 4 British meetings today are nothing much, but there is a good jumps card in Ireland at Punchestown, with 3 graded races. Easily the best horse entered is First Lieutenant (Mouse Morris/ Davy Russell) who runs in the 2 mile 7 furlongs chase at 17.15 CET. He is one of the best chasers around and won Aintree´s Betfred Bowl last April as well as being placed in the Ryanair Chase, Hennessy Gold Cup and other top races.

His owner Gigginstown have 4 of the 6 runners here, but the stable jockey probably did not have to think too hard about deciding which one to ride and it will be a big surprise if he is beaten. The other graded races are for novices and we select Cailin Annamh (Jessica Harrington/ Barry Geraghty) over hurdles at 15.45 and Art of Logistics (Dessie Hughes/ Bryan Cooper) over fences at 16.45, two young jumpers of great potential.

In the U.K. there is N.H. racing at a much lower level at Wincanton and Uttoxeter. At the former track we like Al Alfa (Philip Hobbs/ Richard Johnson) in the handicap chase at 16.50, and at the latter track we think that Jonjo O´Neill and Tony McCoy can land a double with Flemenson at 16.30 and Foundation Man an hour later.

There is also flat racing at Brighton (their last meeting of 2013 ) and this evening on the all-weather at Kempton. Two very speculative each-way bets at Brighton cpuld be Smoky Oakey (Mark Tompkins/ Simon Pearce) at 16.40 and Magic Lando (Ismail Mohammed/ David Probert)at 17.10.

Punchestown - betting forecast:
1. Race: Salam Alaykum - Park Ranger - Alfred James
2. Race: Cailin Annamh - Top Madam - Shadow Eile
3. Race: Lady Of Glencoe - Shake The Bucket - Portrait King
4. Race: Art Of Logistics - Darwins Fox - Saint Gervais
5. Race: Roi du Mee - Tofino Bay - Noble Prince
6. Race: Cool Warrior - Sonic Beat - Rathmoyle House
7. Race: Outlawed Tunes - Turf Fire - O Lucky Them