Hi all,
The Punchestown Festival gets underway today and we also have a good flat card at Epsom on Tuesday afternoon. There are three Grade 1 contests on an eight race card at Punchestown with the most valuable being the William Hill Champion Chase (5:25) which has €177,000 on offer to the winner.
A six race Epsom card includes the Weatherbys Digital Solutions Blue Riband Trial (2:25) and two very historic handicaps the City And Suburban Handicap (3:00) and Great Metropolitan Handicap (3:35). Bot the latter races have lost plenty of their gloss in recent years but the line-ups for both contests are good.
I have selections from both Punchestown and Epsom which can be found at the end of today’s preview.
Punchestown Festival – Day 1
It was yielding to soft at Punchestown on Monday afternoon. It looks like it will be mostly dry for the first two days of the festival. Although there could be 10mm on Thursday.
Facile Vega, Diverge and Il Etait Temps, second, third and fifth in the Supreme at Cheltenham reoppose in the first of today’s Grade 1 contests the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle (4:15). Il Etait Temps ran below form at Cheltenham and I think he can get closer to his stablemates here and could win.
William Hill Champion Chase has attracted just six runners, but they include Champion Chase winner Energumene who bids for back to successes in the race. His biggest rival is likely be Leopardstown Grade 1 winner and stablemate Gentleman De Mee who will appreciate drier ground. Energumene is clearly the one to beat but on yielding ground I can see Gentleman De Mee giving him a race.
The final Grade 1 the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase (6:35) has also attracted just six runners. Four of the six are trained by Willie Mullins although he doesn’t train the ante post favourite which is Journey With Me. I’m a fan of Journey For Me and I think he’s the right favourite. Of the four Mullins runners I like the claims of the lightly raced Classic Getaway. We haven’t seen the 7-year-old since his win on chase debut at Gowran Park in November but he’s 2-2 returning from a 150+ day layoff.
There’s just one handicap on the eight race card the Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle (Grade B) (4:50).
Glan is on a fair mark, but she does need better ground to be at her best. Merlin Giant made it 2 out of 4 over hurdles when winning at Fairyhouse in December. The 6-year-old looked well ahead of his mark that day and even a 13lb rise in the weights might not prevent him following up. Watch The Weather has been below his best on his last two starts but a reproduction of his short head 2nd off 11 at Down Royal in November would give him each way claims. Tax For Max finished a length 3rd pf 17 in last year’s race and ran better than his 18 length 5th of 16 at Fairyhouse 17-days ago suggests. He was caught behind a weakening rival three out and by the time he got into the clear his winning chance was gone. Telecon returned from a 230-day layoff to win at Fairyhouse 15-days ago. A 10lb rise makes life tougher for the 6-year-old but he’s unexposed, after just four starts over hurdles, and high on my list of contenders.
Epsom
An excellent card at Epsom for a Tuesday.
1:50 – Rum Cocktail won at Goodwood (5f) last June, from 3lb higher, for her previous yard. Starts off for new connections on a workable mark but she’s unproven on an easy surface. Any further ease in the ground would be a concern but she’s well weighted if effective on it. A around 10/1 I’m happy to take a chance she is.
2:25 – The Gosden yard saddled the winner of the Listed Blue Riband Trial four times between 2015 & 2018 and they run hot favourite Epictetus. The son of Kingman finished runner-up to Auguste Rodin in the Group 1 Vertem Futurity on his final juvenile start and a reproduction would see him comfortably win this. He’s a best priced 25/1 for the Derby and if he’s going to be contender for that race, he must win this.
Stormbuster was a well beaten last of seven in the Futurity but he didn’t handle the heavy ground that day. Progressive prior to Doncaster and he can get closer to the favourite here.
Hadrianus looks a stayer, full brother Pons Aelius won over 2m, and he won a Kempton maiden over 1m 3f in December. He can do better as a 3-year-old but surely 1m 2f will be too short for him today.
3:00 –Likely favourite Educator has a handy draw in stall 1 and is weighted to be competitive but his best form has come on good or quicker ground so any further ease in the ground would ask another question of the 4-year-old. Fantastic Fox has form around here over shorter at last year’s Derby meeting. His latest win came in August 2021 but he’s versatile and should be fit enough on his first start for 168-days ago. Trainer Roger Varian won this in 2018 & 2019.
Soto Sizzler gained a third C&D success when winning this race 12 months ago for his previous yard. He can race off the same mark here but can be tricky ride and probably needs a good gallop to be seen at his best. Trainer David Menuisier saddled Soto Sizzler to win 12 months ago, and he’s got a strong contender in Caius Chorister. The 4-year-old was a very progressive middle distance handicapper last season completing a five timer including here last July. Her best performance on RPR’s came in defeat when a 4 ½ length 2nd of 13 in the Melrose Handicap (1m 6f) at York’s Ebor Festival. Best form on a sounder surface and 1m 2f looks on the short side for her. Lord Protector won a handicap (1m 2f) at Sandown last June and looked unlucky not to finish closer than a 3 ¼ length 5th of 18 in a valuable handicap at the Qatar Goodwood Festival. Flopped at York over 1m 4f on his final start but had wind surgery after. Has won fresh in the past and is ground versatile.
3:35 – Sir Rumi finished runner-up at Doncaster on his seasonal return but was well below form back on the all-weather just 8-days later. Consistent enough last season to think it won’t be long before he bounces back to form. The forecast strong pace and he’s got a decent draw in stall 5. Alan King saddles a couple of live contenders in Haseefah & Open Champion. The first named won twice last May at Chester and Goodwood. Not at her best on her final start last season but returns on a fair mark and if ready to roll after a 179-day layoff can go close. Open Champion a faller over hurdles on stable debut. He travelled like he’s on good mark before not getting the best of runs 1f out at Kempton 24-days ago. A mile & half looks his trip and lightly raced for his age. Yet to race on ground worse than good and stall 14 could be better. Flyin’ Solo is also drawn out wide in stall 13. The 6-year-old hasn’t been the easiest to keep sound and was only having his second start since November 2021 when a 13 ½ length 6th of 10 at Doncaster 23-days ago. Probably needed the run that day and better can be expected with that run under his belt. Normally held up in his races, he’ll be dropped in and he’s another who will appreciate the forecast strong pace.
Betting Advice:
Punchestown
4:50 – Telecon – 1pt win – 17/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes and Tax For Max – 1pt win – 10/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
Epsom
1:50 – Rum Cocktail – 1pt win – 10/1 @ Bet365 & Paddy Power
3:00 – Lord Protector – 1pt win – 6/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes and Fantastic Fox – 1pt win – 8/1 @ Coral
3:35 – Flyin’ Solo – 1pt win – 15/2 @ Bet365 and Haseefah – 1pt win – 10/1 @ Bet365 & Paddy Power
Cheers
John