Yesterday was a brilliant day at the races with 5 winners across the board. Today we return to Punchestown and head down to Cork for their afternoon of racing.
THE GOFFER is our first runner of the day in Punchestown over the banks course in the Risk of Thunder chase. He was very professional in his first p2p start this year and could be our cross-country horse this year. Hopefully he can go well here over these varying fences and will have Danny in the saddle.
We have two exciting horses in the maiden hurdle. HE CAN’T DANCE ran well on his racecourse reapperance to come home 3rd and can hopefully improve from that with racecourse fitness on his side. BALLY FREE is coming straight from the p2p track and is unexposed under rules. He could be a very exciting horse and Jordan Gainford has been booked to ride.
For the Pertemps qualifier we have STAFFORDSHIRE KNOT and TIMMY TUESDAY. Staffordshire Knot showed some necessary improvement the last day and could be ideal for one of these races, Carl Millar has been booked to ride and claims 5lbs. Timmy Tuesday could well place again here based on previous form so hopefully Danny can get the best tune out of him.
Next up in the Grade 2 novice chase we have RELIEVED OF DUTIES and QUALIMITA. Relieved of Duties has quietly crept up the handicap and goes under the radar into this with Danny booked to ride. Qualimita is on the hunt for black type. She has improved for her switch to fences and will be ridden by Jordan.
Finally in Punchestown we have SPECULATEUR in the bumper. This is another horse to come from the point to point sphere who we hope can go well here under Harry Swan.
Over in Cork, I’M ALL IN has his first run in an academy hurdle. He probably wasn’t initially bred for this job but there is plenty of stamina in his pedigree and this looks to have become a wide open race. Sam Ewing is booked to ride.
MASTER HAKU leads the way in the 2 mile maiden hurdle. He ran well on debut to place and could improve that here with Jack Kennedy booked to ride. PUMAS DREAM is a big raw horse who is a half brother to Maxxum. His pedigree suggests that time will be his friend and should improve with his racing, Jake Coen has been booked to ride.
The 5yo an dup maiden hurdle will see the long awaited return of JALON D’OUDAIRIES. This horse was last seen coming 3rd in the champion bumper in Cheltenham nearly 2 years ago. We hope for a good return to the track as he has been doing everything right at home and will be ridden by Jack Kennedy.
In the Adare Manor opportunity handicap hurdle we have BOLTLANDER. He will need to put his best foot forward here with Paddy Cleary in the saddle claiming 7lbs.
It looks an exciting field for the mares beginners chase where we put forward KALA CONTI. She is a good competitive filly who can probably be successful over fences and will be ridden by Jack Kennedy.
Finally we rounf the day off with a beginners chase where we have KISH BANK in first time headgear. Chasing should be his bread and butter and the addition on cheekpieces should make for an encouraging accompaniment with Jack Kennedy booked to ride.