Katie Midwinter (24/04/23)
TUESDAY
3:40pm – Mares Novice Hurdle (Listed Race)
Seven of the past nine renewals have been won by either Gordon Elliott or Willie Mullins and the dominant trainers are set to saddle four runners between them in the opening race on the card.
Night And Day appears to be the first string of the Closutton trio, as Paul Townend rides the daughter of Sea The Moon who was pulled-up on her last outing at Fairyhouse. She is down in grade here and could be capable of putting in a better showing at this level.
Stablemate Nikini is one of many who featured in the Jack de Bromhead Mares’ Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham, but she could only manage twelfth and will need to bounce back to form similar to that she showed to place in a Grade Three at Down Royal earlier in the season. She has already received market support
Well named Cullentra hope Shecouldbeanything may well be capable of better. She was sixth at Cheltenham, a non-runner at Fairyhouse and looks the one to beat.
The Model Kingdom caught the eye in the paddock at Prestbury Park, but failed to deliver on track. The course-and-distance winner finished second to Impaire Et Passe in the Moscow Flyer here in January, and was unbeaten in three bumpers including in a Grade Three at this meeting last year.
4:15pm – Champion Novice Hurdle (Grade 1)
Many classy horses have recorded success in this race over the years. Notable winners since the turn of the century include the likes of Hurricane Fly, Faugheen, Douvan and most recently Mighty Potter. Willie Mullins has won four of the last five renewals, and looks set to claim the prize again as he is represented by odds-on favourite Facile Vega.
The son of Quevega ran an excellent race in defeat at Cheltenham, beaten in the Supreme only by Barry Connell’s talented novice Marine Nationale. Facile Vega bounced back to form following a strange effort at Leopardstown and is the class of the field here. His biggest threats are likely to come from his own yard, with stablemates Diverge and Il Etait Temps his closest market rivals.
The former finished third at Cheltenham, ahead of Aintree Grade One winner Inthepocket, with Il Etait Temps in fifth. Supreme ninth Strong Leader showed plenty of progression to finish second at Aintree recently, further boosting the form of the Cheltenham Festival opener.
Found A Fifty and No Looking Back both have plenty to find to get near the Mullins contingent, but both have respectively shown good form in the past and perhaps shouldn’t be completely discounted.
4:50pm – Grade B Handicap Hurdle
Owner JP McManus holds a strong hand in this handicap, with four representatives in the field, all of whom are in with a chance of the prize. Tekao will need to bounce back to form following disappointment in the Boodles (The Fred Winter) with Simon Torrens taking the ride this time around as retained rider Mark Walsh is onboard Brazil.
Former Ballydoyle resident Brazil made a promising start to life over hurdles, winning last year’s Boodles before finishing third in the Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree. He won a Group Three at Naas earlier in the season before failing in a match race at Limerick in December. Absent over obstacles since, he has had a recent run out on the flat at Leopardstown, and could be seen back to his best here.
Charlie O’Dwyer claims a useful 7lbs on course-and-distance winner One Last Tango, who represents Eoin Griffin. Glan’s lack of race fitness could be cause for concern as he has been absent since September, deemed a non-runner at both Cheltenham and Aintree respectively.
Merlin Giant is the market leader and appears the one to beat for Emmet Mullins. The progressive six-year-old is 13lbs up for his Fairyhouse win in December, but the best could be yet to come from him.
5:25pm – Champion Chase (Grade 1)
Reigning champion Energumene will be extremely difficult to beat given that his Clarence House run was merely a blip. Barring that Cheltenham disappointment, his only defeat over fences came against a rallying Shishkin at Ascot. He is unbeaten over obstacles in Ireland, is 11lbs clear on ratings, and will enjoy softer conditions.
Chacun Pour Soi has looked a shadow of his former self recently, now an eleven-year-old, and hasn’t shaped as though a revival is on the cards. One of four course-and-distance winners in the field, Blue Lord now looks exposed at this level following two below par performances. He has seven-lengths to find with Gentleman De Mee on Leopardstown form, and his Ryanair Chase performance didn’t suggest he’ll be able to reverse form.
Dublin Chase winner Gentleman De Mee is an interesting alternative to the favourite. Connections were forced to skip Cheltenham with the seven-year-old as the Saint Des Saints gelding had an infection. He should be fresh for this assignment now, and could be the biggest threat to his odds-on stablemate, in the hands of Mark Walsh.
6:35pm – Champion Novice Chase (Grade 1)
Henry de Bromhead’s seven-year-old Journey With Me narrowly heads the market ahead of the Champion Novice Chase on Tuesday’s card. He is two from four over fences, beaten only by Grade Two winner Impervious when completing the course. A promising novice chaser, this son of Mahler is unexposed at this level as a chaser, and could be capable of showing further progression.
The highest-rated horse in the lineup, Sir Gerhard, is yet to prove himself as a natural chaser, having been a top class hurdler. He won on chase debut at Gowran Park in January, before struggling to go with the leaders in the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham, showing jumping frailties, and being eased down in the straight by jockey Paul Townend.
In the Fairyhouse Gold Cup Chase he showed more promise, finishing second, narrowly defeated by Flame Bearer, and could be suited to a step back up in trip. Although he is unproven over 3m under rules, he won a Point-To-Point, beating now 155-rated Minella Drama. It may be worth keeping faith in this flashy horse.
Appreciate It is the mount of Paul Townend once again, another Closutton hopeful with a bit to prove. A first-time tongue tie is tried, with a return to the winner’s enclosure the aim. He always looks immaculate in the paddock, is impressive in stature with strong hindquarters. The nine-year-old has had his issues, but has great strength and scope and will surely land a Graded contest over fences soon.
Stablemate Classic Getaway is an interesting contender making his reappearance, absent since November when he beat Minella Cocooner at Gowran Park. He has shown plenty of promise but could be vulnerable due to his inexperience.
Emmet Mullins’ Feronily and eye-catching chestnut James Du Berlais complete the line-up, both with talent but perhaps currently lacking the class to compete at this level.
Punchestown Festival Day 1:
3:40pm – The Model Kingdom 8/1 (EW)
4:15pm – Facile Vega 4/6
4:50pm – Brazil 7/1 (EW)
6:35pm – Sir Gerhard 4/1
WEDNESDAY
3:40pm – Handicap Hurdle
Tony Martin’s Unanswered has been given a 1lbs rise for his recent Fairyhouse third, now running off a career-high mark of 116, with Cheltenham Festival winning jockey Liam McKenna claiming 2lbs. The six-year-old is a progressive type, still capable of showing further improvement and already has plenty of experience in big field handicaps.
Four-year-old Mighty Mo Missouri is still a maiden but has been showing promise with three second-placed finishes in his last four runs. He has been finishing behind some exciting juveniles such as Boodles runner-up Byker and Sinbad Le Marin, and has placed ahead of recent Grade Two winner Enjoy The Dream and Calico, who has subsequently landed a maiden success. He could be one to consider off a 10lbs lower mark than when running at the Cheltenham Festival, with Conor Smithers claiming 4lbs.
5:20pm – Novice Hurdle (Grade 1)
Talented novice Gaelic Warrior is the warm favourite to take the crown in this Grade One affair. He was narrowly touched off by Brazil in last year’s Juvenile Hurdle at Cheltenham on his first start for Willie Mullins, and recorded three successive wins at the beginning of this term before finishing second at Prestbury Park once again.
When last seen in the Ballymore he was only beaten by stablemate Impaire Et Passe, a promising horse that looks a superstar in the making, despite showing inexperience and keenness. To perform in the manner that he did, beating the likes of Champ Kiely, Good Land and Hermes Allen, without being completely relaxed and professional in the preliminaries, showed that he possesses plenty of class.
With more experience he could become a high-quality horse. He is 10lbs clear on ratings and should be suited to the right-handed track at Punchestown.
Affordable Fury ran exceptionally well in the Albert Bartlett, finishing a length second to Stay Away Fay when sent off at odds of 150/1. The winner at Cheltenham has since boosted the form, running a solid race in a Grade One at Aintree, a length behind Martin Pipe winner Iroko.
Noel Meade’s representative beat Monbeg Park to record his only hurdle success to date, a horse who subsequently beat a field including Seabank Bistro to win his maiden. If he can take another step forward he has a good chance of making the frame.
Seven-year-old gelding Salvador Ziggy won his first four starts for Gordon Elliott before finishing fourth carrying top weight in the Pertemps Qualifier. He finished second in the Pertemps behind Good Time Jonny, with 7lbs claimer Aidan Kelly onboard. A good, consistent horse, he has plenty of potential in handicap company but perhaps lacks the class to threaten the favourite.
5:55pm – Punchestown Gold Cup (Grade 1)
A rematch between Cheltenham Gold Cup champion Galopin Des Champs and runner-up Bravemansgame is on the cards in the feature race of the week at Punchestown. The Cheltenham showpiece was an exceptional show of equine brilliance, with Bravemansgame putting in an exhibition round of jumping and Galopin Des Champs showing an impressive engine, gathering momentum up the hill towards the line.
It appears unlikely that Paul Nicholls’ gelding will be able to reverse form with his Irish counterpart, however the slight drop back in trip will benefit the King George VI Chase winner.
Although there had been plenty of question marks surrounding his stamina prior to the race at Cheltenham, Bravemansgame proved his doubters wrong with a strong showing in second, jumping the last in unison with the eventual winner, before being beaten for speed. Despite the fact that third-placed Conflated and fourth-placed Noble Yeats were both closing towards the line, Bravemansgame’s race had been run and there’s no doubting he stayed every yard of the trip.
Whilst he was able to effectively compete at Cheltenham, this three-mile trip will allow Bravemansgame to remain in his comfort zone for longer, conserving slightly more energy, allowing himself to put in a greater effort in the final furlongs. However, it’s difficult to imagine a scenario in which he is able to overcome Galopin Des Champs, and he may have to settle for second best once again.
Nicholls has had success in this race in the past, saddling the winner of the Punchestown Gold Cup on three occasions, in two successive renewals with Neptune Collonges and more recently with Clan Des Obeaux in 2021. Allaho claimed back the crown for the Closutton yard last year and his stablemate, odds-on favourite Galopin Des Champs, looks set to land the prize for Willie Mullins once again.
Galopin Des Champs was breathtaking at Cheltenham, but he wasn’t without flaws as his jumping left a lot to be desired on occasions. His class saw him through and he was able to win in style, striding to victory under a masterful Paul Townend ride. That was his sixth Grade One, and he is unbeaten as a chaser in races he has completed.
His only defeat came in last year’s Turners Novices’ Chase, when he was desperately unlucky to fall at the last when twelve-lengths clear of Bob Olinger. He has looked unbeatable since, and could go on to be one of the best the sport has seen.
Away from the top two in the market, there is plenty of class in the small but select field. Ryanair Chase winner Envoi Allen is another who has suffered bad luck at Cheltenham but reigned victorious at the meeting this year. He is back up to a distance over which he landed the Champion Chase at Down Royal in November. His following run at Kempton in the King George was a below par effort, but he bounced back at Cheltenham and shouldn’t be discounted here.
The likable Hewick fell heavily in the straight at Prestbury Park when in the process of running a big race. It’s unlikely he would have been able to challenge the leading pair at the time, but he is a brave horse guaranteed to stay on well.
Fury Road and Fastorslow both have plenty to find on ratings, and look unlikely to trouble the others. The former, trained by Gordon Elliott, did put in a gallant performance to finish within nine-lengths of Galopin Des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown however, and based on that form it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him finish in the top three if he has recovered from his Aintree fall.
7:05pm – Grade A Handicap Chase
Course-and-distance winner Royal Rendezvous heads the field for Willie Mullins, 5lbs clear of the field on ratings carrying top-weight. Ha D’or, the mount of Paul Townend, appears to be the yard’s first string making his handicap debut. Ilikedwayurthinkin could be well handicapped off a mark of 135, 2lbs lower than when second in an Aintree Grade Three Handicap.
It’s a competitive field, despite there being only nine runners, and one of the outsiders of the field is The Little Yank, a favourite and regular selection on The Conditional. John Patrick Ryan’s charge is a brave horse, often seen outrunning his odds and defying expectations.
He has suffered two falls this season, and was absent for four months following a hefty tumble at Listowel, but has run well following his reappearance at Navan. Despite not being particularly well-handicapped, he has run respectably off a similar mark in the past and shouldn’t be discounted.
Punchestown Festival Day 2:
3:40pm – Unanswered & Mighty Mo Missouri (EW)
5:20pm – Gaelic Warrior
5:55pm – Galopin Des Champs
7:05pm – The Little Yank (EW)
(All runners/prices are correct at the time of writing)
Cover Photo by Philippe Oursel on Unsplash
THE CONDITIONAL 