Punchestown Festival: second day

The Punchestown Festival continues with another very strong card and 3 more Grade One races. The top race is the Punchestown Gold Cup over 3 miles 1 furlong at 18.30 CET, amd Willie Mullins has as usual a strong hand with two fancied runners, both owned by Graham and Andrea Wylie: Boston Bob (Ruby Walsh) and On His Own (Paul Townend). Ruby presumably had the choice and wars the first colours, but we are not sure of he really stays this trip and prefer On His Own, who ran a stormer at Cheltenham and was unlucky not to win the Gold Cup.

That was his best ever run and is also the best form in today´s field,although Long Run (Nicky Henderson/ Sam Waley-Cohen) would of course win it on his old form. He was runner-up here last year with First Lieutenant (Mouse Morris/ Barry Geraghty) a close third, but has had a disappointing season and fell in the Grand National, supposedly his main target. First Lieutenant runs consistently well in these races, but rarely wins and is another one we would prefer over a shorter trip. He was just behind Argocat (Tom Taaffe/ Tony McCoy) at Aintree, and the latter, as well as Lyreen Legend (Dessie Hughes/ Paul Carberry) -6th at Cheltenham- are possible improvers here. But On His Own seems to have all the necessary requirements and is our selection.

The novice hurdle over 3 miles at 17.55 looks very open, but the lightly-raced Beat That (Henderson/ Geraghty) beat a large field in good style at Aintree and could be the answer. Don Poli (Mullins/ Walsh) won the Martin Pipe, but this is a big step up and more interesting is Very Wood (Noel Meade/ Carberry), also owned by Gigginstown, who won the Albert Bartlett easily enough at 33-1 and won´t be at those odds today.

The final Grade One is the Champion I.N.H. flat race at 19.05. Willie Mullins normally dominates these events and has 4 runners, with his son Paddy riding the stable´s main hope Black Hercules. However he was put in his place at Cheltenham by Silver Concorde (Dermot Weld/ Robbie McNamara) and we see no reason why this form should not be confirmed.

The handicaps are of course very tricky, but we shall risk a tiny each-way bet on On The Way Out (Jon Kiely/ Harry Derham) at 16.40 and German-bred Shot From the Hip (Edward O´Grady/ Andrew McNamara) at 19.40.

Et voilà nos tuyaux pour les courses:
1ère course: Sea Light - Maguire`s Glen - Sweeney Tunes
2ème course: Le Vent D`antan - Cheltenian - Beluckyagain
3ème course: Beat That - Don Poli - Very Wood
4ème course: On His Own - Boston Bob - First Lieutenant
5ème course: Silver Concorde - Shaneshill - Black Hercules
6ème course: Aupcharlie - Grandioso - Pass The Hat
7ème course: Totally Dominant - Sub Lieutenant - Fletchers Flyer