Punchestown Tips Day 4

Welcome to our Punchestown Tips for Day 4! 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 fourth day’s races including the Punchestown Champion Hurdle and the Champion Novice Hurdle. For the time being set your eyes on our previews and our review of the 2014 renewal of the Punchestown Festival! All you need for Day 4 in one place.

Punchestown Day 4 Tips

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3.40 Hunters Chase – Rohan’s Pride at 15/8 with Bet365

4.20 Novice Handicap Steeplechase – Tennis Cap at 14/1 EW with Bet365

4.55 Mares Handicap Chase – Annie Oakley at 8/1 EW with Bet365

5.30 Punchestown Champion Hurdle – we can’t see past Faugheen!

6.05 Champion Novice Hurdle – Nichols Canyon at 5/6 with Bet365

6.40 Star Novice Hurdle  – Snake Eyes at 4/1 with Bet365

7.10 Fillies Premier Bumper – Pride Of The Braid at 10/1 EW with Bet365

7.45 Champion Hunters Steeplechase – Noble Prince at 20/1 EW with Bet365

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Overview

3.40 – Hunters Chase

Last year’s winner: Rohan’s Pride 4/1
Distance: 2m 4f

2015 Preview: Punters are usually pretty successful in this opener with only one of the last four winners having come from outside of the top two in the betting. That was Johnnies Star back in 2013. Robert Honner’s Rohan’s Pride could return to defend his title.

4.20 – Novice Handicap Steeplechase

Last year’s winner: Operating 12/1
Distance: 2m 5f

2015 Preview: As Valseur Lido is set to head for the 3m 1f Champion Novice Chase, it may be Wounded Warrior who tops the weights in this novice handicap. Others with declarations in this event at this stage are the likes of Tango De Juilley, Irish Cavalier and Shanahan’s Turn.

4.55 – Mares Handicap Chase

Last year’s winner: Burn And Turn 7/1
Distance: 2m 5f

2015 Preview: Class prevailed over being assigned a low weight in this mares handicap last season as both 11st+ carriers Burn And Turn and Une Artiste ended up in the first three. What’s more, all three placed runners came from the top half of the betting – something else to consider this time around.

5.30 – Punchestown Champion Hurdle

Last year’s winner: Jezki 4/5f
Distance: 2m

2015 Preview: Odds-on favourite Faugheen looks good for the win in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle with the news that reigning champion Jezki will be heading for the 3m World Series Hurdle. Stablemate Arctic Fire is the Mullins charge’s nearest market rival following his late fall at Aintree last time out.

6.05 – Champion Novice Hurdle

Last year’s winner: Vautour 1/3f
Distance: 2m 4f

2015 Preview: This race has been blown open after Mullins and Ricci decided to enter odds-on Ante Post favourite Douvan into the 2m Novice Hurdle. Despite this, Mullins still has a litany of chances with Shaneshill and Nichols Canyon under consideration.

6.40 – Star Novice Hurdle

Last year’s winner: Arctic Fire 4/5f
Distance: 2m

2015 Preview: Willie Mullins will be looking to earn himself a hat-trick in this event after both Un De Sceaux (2013) and Arctic Fire (2014) took home the top honours in consecutive years. Indeed it is a race in which favourites have thrived, all three of the last winners being the market leaders in the betting.

7.10– Fillies Premier Bumper

Last year’s winner: Morning Run 10/3f
Distance: 2m 1f

2015 Preview: Whilst this race should be a bit of a lottery, punters managed to find the winner last year, that being Mullins’ triumphant favourite Morning Run. The high quality Glens Melody picked up this race in 2012 whilst last season the graded race regular Carrigmoorna Rock secured second. It’s worth keeping your notebook handy!

7.45 – Champion Hunters Steeplechase

Last year’s winner: On The Fringe 10/11f
Distance: 3m 1f

2015 Preview: On The Fringe has already completed a famous Cheltenham/ Aintree Fox Hunters double this season and whilst he would be more than capable of defending the crown he has already won three times, nobody would blame him for putting his feet up. Longer and more prestigious than the day’s opener, stamina and class are a must.  

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Punchestown Festival Day 4 Tips

All of our Punchestown Festival Day 4 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 4 2014

Robert Honner’s Rohan’s Pride (4/1) was prominent throughout the opener, his white face at the head of the pack from the first to the last. A fine front-running performance, the eight-year-old could not be caught by second placed Shin A Vee, the 20/1 shot failing to make up a four length deficit. A clumsy attempt at the last saw the 7/4 favourite Mtada Supreme relinquish his chance at scoring the top prize.

Jessica Harrington continued her excellent festival as Operating took the second race of the day at a price of 12/1. Operating was positioned just off the pace set by the front-running top weight Road To Riches (9/1) and capitalised on his prominent place to take the lead around the turn for home. The two horses would be separated by only three-quarters-of-a-length as The Romford Pele (10/1) stayed on for third.

Nicky Henderson had all three of the top weights in the Grade C Mares Handicap Chase, these including the favourite Utopie Des Bordes (5/2). It was Une Artiste (7/1) who got the closest to securing the victory for the Lambourn man finishing a distant third behind fellow 7/1 shot Burn And Turn and She’s Got Grit (8/1). The former completed a quick-fire double for Harrington, just sealing a half-a-length win.

This hat-trick was secured in the following race, though only three lined up for the Grade One Champion Hurdle and Harrington saddled two runners. It was the favourite Jezki (4/5) that managed to make all and see off Willie Mullins’ Hurricane Fly (Evs) in what was undoubtedly a tactical affair. Harrington’s other entrant, Steps To Freedom (20/1), failed to threaten.

Though only four were at the starting tape for the Grade One Champion Novice Hurdle, it was a tasty encounter between a quartet of high quality charges. Though Mullins’ Vautour (1/3) ensured consecutive winning favourites, the outsider of the field Apache Stronghold (14/1) upset both Lieutenant Colonel (7/1) and Lac Fontana (5/1) when stealing an assured second.

Arctic Fire (4/5) was another odds-on Mullins favourite in the next, and was to be another winner for the County Carlow man. In what was a comprehensive victory in this novice hurdle, Arctic Fire grabbed the lead just prior to the last, extending with ease to put seven lengths between himself and Gassin’ Golf (13/2). Second would just be out of reach of Henry de Bromhead’s Sizing Codelco (14/1) half-a-length behind.

The penultimate race, the Mares Premier Bumper, would also be awarded to Mullins with 10/3 favourite Morning Run putting in a superb hold-up performance under the handler’s son, Patrick, to hold off second placed Carrigmoorna Rock (8/1) by a length-and-a-half. Noel Meade’s Crofton Trail (14/1) would be the third of the 25 runners to cross the line whilst Montana Belle would round off the places at 5/1.

Twelve entrants lined up for the Champion Hunters Chase though only half would finish, the winner being On The Fringe (10/11f) for Nina Carberry in what would be the performance of the day. Eventual third Warne (2/1) looked to have the race in the bag late on though flailed and was eventually toppled by the winner at the third-last. On The Fringe secured a staggering 20 length victory with Vital Plot (11/1) hanging on for second despite blundering at the last.

Last updated 23rd April.