Horse racing tips: Punchestown Day 3 trends – we help you find the winner of Thursday’s Grade 1 contests
5.30 PUNCHESTOWN: Champion Stayers Hurdle
FINISHING in the first three last time out has been important for winners of the Champion Stayers’ Hurdle.
That spells bad news for big fancy Bapaume along with Bacardys, Cracking Smart, Vision Des Flos, Unowhatimeanharry, Dortmund Park and Prince Of Scars.
That’s quickly cut the field down to just three contenders — Aux Ptits Soins, Not Many Left and Killutagh Vic.
Another key trend for this is to have run at the Cheltenham Festival earlier this year. That rules out Aux Ptits Soins.
We’re left with two very backable prices as both Not Many Left and Killultagh Vic are trading at double-figure prices.
NOT MANY LEFT gets the final nod because only horse as old as Killultagh Vic has managed to win this race. Granted, that was last season with Faugheen, but the trend still looks pretty strong.
The tip was a good third in the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham when he saw out the 3m trip well. He followed what up with a good second at Fairyhouse last time when the drop back to 2m4f may not have been ideal.
Going back up in distance gives Robbie Power’s mount every chance of hitting the frame at least.
6.40 PUNCHESTOWN: Ryanair Novice Chase
STICK with horses that finished first or second last time which means crossing out Duca De Thaix who was third last time out.
A strong stat for six-year-olds has been developing in this race with four of the past five winners from that age group. That’s pretty telling so we’ll concentrate on those again this time.
So we can lose Chancun Pour Soi, Ornua and Voix Du Reve. Us And Them looks to have a mountain to climb given that he’s rated just 151 by the official handicapper.
That has been enough to win this race before but the last four scorers were all north of 159 so Joseph O’Brien’s hope has a fair bit to find.
That leaves a battle between Defi Du Seuil and DUC DES GENIEVRES. Trainer of the former, Philip Hobbs, has lifted this prize before with Captain Chris back in 2011.
But Willie Mullins sends out the Duc and he’s won five of the past six runnings of this and looks to have another big chance here despite Ruby Walsh electing to ride stablemate Chacun Pour Soi.
The tip won the Arkle last time and that has been the main pointer to this contest.