Punchestown Tips Day 1

Welcome to our Punchestown Tips for Day 1! This page will be updated with our tips nearer the Festival’s starting date. We will be sure to keep you informed! Tips will be available for all of the opening day’s races including the Champion Novice Hurdle, the Champion Chase and the Champion Novice Steeplechase. For the time being set your eyes on our previews and review of the 2014 renewal of the Punchestown Festival! All you need for Day 1 in one place.

Overview

3.40pm Cross Country Chase – Treo Eile at 14/1 EW

4.20pm Champion Novice Hurdle – Douvan 1st, Sizing John 2nd (Forecast)

4.55pm Killashee Handicap Hurdle – The Game Changer at 16/1 EW

5.30pm Champion Chase – Champagne Fever at 3/1

6.05pm Goffs Land Rover Bumper – Bingo Conti at 20/1

6.40pm Champion Novice Steeplechase – Don Poli 1st, Irish Cavalier 2nd (Forecast)

7.15pm JLT INH  Flat Race – Burrows Lane at 12/1

Punchestown Day 1 Tips

3.40 – Cross Country Chase

Last year’s winner: Be Positive 3/1f
Distance: 3m

2015 Preview: Enda Bolger’s Be Positive was the emphatic 11 length winner in 2014, seeing the trainer take home the top prize for the second  consecutive year. Whether or not Be Positive appears in this race once again, Bolger will sure be sending a small fleet to help secure his hat-trick.

4.20 – Champion Novice Hurdle

Last year’s winner: Faugheen 1/2f
Distance: 2m

2015 Preview: Faugheen managed to claim a Cheltenham Festival victory before heading to Punchestown to pick up the Champion Novice Hurdle last year. This season, Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Douvan, also for Willie Mullins and the Ricci family, will be looking to do the same. With Douvan odds-on, the second favourite is the horse that was third in that Cheltenham event, Sizing John.

4.55 – Killashee Handicap Hurdle

Last year’s winner: Cool Macavity 9/1
Distance: 2m

2015 Preview: There has not been one winning favourite in the last three renewals of this race, meaning that there should be plenty of value to be had this year as well. Cool Macavity ran out last season’s victor for Nicky Henderson and may return after disappointing in the Ayr Champion Hurdle.

5.30 – Champion Chase

Last year’s winner: Sizing Europe 7/1
Distance: 2m

2015 Preview: Lots of good words are coming out of the Vautour camp ahead of the odds-on favourite’s run in the Champion Chase. The JLT Novices’ Chase winner will have to hold off strong competition from Hidden Cyclone and the hat-trick seeking Sizing Europe.

6.05 – Goffs Land Rover Bumper

Last year’s winner: Very Much So 12/1
Distance: 2m

2015 Preview: Gigginstown failed to enter even one runner into last year’s Goffs Land Rover Bumper though are expected to be spoiled for choice this time around. Eddie O’Leary has already confirmed that he will run ‘two or three’ unnamed charges in this race in the hope of following in the footsteps of last year’s winner Very Much So.

6.40 – Champion Novice Steeplechase

Last year’s winner: Carlingford Lough 7/2
Distance: 3m 1f

2015 Preview: Mullins saddled Sir Des Champs to odds-on victory in this race back in 2012, the County Carlow handler looking to do the same again this year with impressive RSA Chase winner Don Poli. The 4/7 market leader will be looking to secure victory over Vroum Vroum Mag, who failed to make it to Cheltenham, and JLT Novices’ Chase runner-up Apache Stronghold. 

7.15 – JLT INH Flat Race

Last year’s winner: Forgotten Rules Evsf
Distance: 2m

2015 Preview: A race for inexperienced four-year-old charges, this race can be a very messy affair! It does, however, also have a tendency of producing some real stars, 2014 Albert Bartlett winner Very Wood claimed victory in this race back in 2013 as did now regular handicap chaser Grand Jesure (2012).  

Punchestown Festival Day 1 Tips

All of our Punchestown Festival Day 1 tips are 100% researched! Should we ever use the term “Non Runner No Bet”, we mean that you will get your money back should your selection not appear in the race in which it has been backed. They might show in a different race or not appear at all due to drying ground or injury.

Whilst most bookmakers will offer “NRNB” terms, always make sure to check, especially if you are betting with a smaller bookie – or William Hill!

Punchestown Festival Day 1 2014

The day began with a comprehensive victory in the Cross Country Chase, Be Postive (3/1) putting 11 lengths between himself and his nearest rival Phar And Away (9/1). The Cheltenham Festival’s leading cross country rider and Be Positive’s jockey Nina Carberry proved herself over these irregular obstacles whilst it proved to be a lucrative event for trainer Enda Bolger who saddled both the winner and the runner-up. One of a trio of top weights, Commanchewardance (16/1) sealed third.

Willie Mullins managed to secure a one, two in the Champion Novice Hurdle, his only other runner, the David Casey ridden Wicklow Brave (66/1), taking a tumble at the second from home. Stablemate and odds-on favourite Faugheen (1/2) took the victory by 12 lengths, an awesome front-running performance from both the horse and his rider, Ruby Walsh. With Valseur Lido (9/1) in second, Mick Channon’s Sgt Reckless (8/1) rounded off the first three in what was a close finish for the minor place.

County Carlow handler Mullins was two-handed in the next, the Grade B Handicap Hurdle, saddling both the favourite Lucky Bridle (4/1) and the Paul Townend ridden City Slicker (20/1). It was the latter who got closer to sealing a second win of the Festival for Mullins, finishing two lengths off the eventual victor, Nicky Henderson’s Cool Macavity (9/1). Another proving his worth under top weight, City Slicker put in a confident front-running performance but was hunted down by the first visiting winner of the Festival. Stocktons Wing (9/1), one of four McManus horses, grabbed third by a couple of lengths from The Game Changer (13/2).

Both Days Hotel and Turban were withdrawn prior to the start of the Grade One Champion Chase, leaving just eight runners at the starting tape. Henry de Bromhead’s elder statesman of the field Sizing Europe (7/1) managed to regain the title he picked up in 2012 after losing out to Sprinter Sacre in 2013. He would take down future Betfred Bowl runner-up Ballynagour (7/1) by five lengths. The task of these two runners was made that bit easier as the 10/3 favourite Hidden Cyclone fell at the fifth, hampering second favourite Module (7/2) to such a degree that he needed pulling up straight away. Savello (14/1) would just miss out on second by a head.

Mullins would pick up his third and final victory of the day with 12/1 shot Very Much So in the Goffs Land Rover Bumper. The withdrawal of Ballylumford saw 19 go to post, the four-year-old mount of Jonathan Burke finishing three-quarters-of-a-length clear of Noel Meade’s Snow Falcon in second. Neither featured in the opening trading of blows, both held up at the back of the field. As Snow Falcon worked his way up the inside under Nina Carberry, Very Much So would swing around the outside of the pack to take the final bend in front and stave off the attacks from the Patricia Hunt charge. Whatsforuwontgobyu took third.

There were another two non-runners in the Champion Novice Chase in 2014, future Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Djakadam joining the Mangans’ Letter Of Credit on the sidelines. A solid round of jumping would see Carlingford Lough (7/2) improve from taking a share of last to being first past the post for John Kiely. The favourite for the clash, Morning Assembly (7/4) would be unable to make all under Davy Russell, completing in a distant third after failing to clear the last with any vim. Mullins’ Ballycasey (3/1) separate the two in second.

Finally Dermot Weld’s Forgotten Rules, the final winning favourite of the day in the concluding Flat race. In the colours of Moyglare Stud Farms, Robbie McNamara and Forgotten Rules would be prominent throughout, the nosebanded charge looking every bit the class horse when putting 13 lengths between himself and Gigginstown’s Alamein (3/1) on the bridle. Her ride on the runner-up would be Nina Carberry’s third top three appearance of the day. Art Of Security (14/1) would grab third for the late Dessie Hughes.

Last updated 21st April.