Andrew’s Punchestown Festival day four race by race betting guide
It’s finally happening. After years of ‘will he won’t he run’ at the Punchestown Festival, Constitution Hill will finally step foot on an Irish racecourse for the first time in his career. Before we see Constitution Hills clash against State Man, we have a stacked card to get through on day four of the Punchestown Festival. Get the best Punchestown odds and promotions with the best horse racing betting sites here. Punchestown 3:40 Stanley Asphalt Hunters Chase for the Bishopscourt Cup – 2m4½f (5yo+) The Bishopscourt Cup, the traditional curtain raiser on Champion Hurdle Day, is as competitive as ever, and having this race at the Punchestown Festival gives a chance for the smaller operations to have their day in the sun on a big stage. Fountain House has been in terrific form this season, winning six of his seven starts. He will be tough to beat if he keeps his progressive form going back on a racecourse. The one I will be siding with, and the one who I feel will show much more than when turned over a short odds at Tramore, is GALE FORCE JET. The same connections took last season’s renewal with Private Ryan, and will have another outstanding chance of going back-to-back with Gale Force Jet here. For all that he didn’t take to the undulations and tightness of Tramore, he was still only beaten just over one length. First-time cheekpieces are called upon today, and combined with the return to a galloping track, expect to see a much better display here today from Gale Force Jet. Selection: Gale Force JetDanger: Fountain House Bet on Gale Force Jet for the Stanley Asphalt Hunters Chase for the Bishopscourt Cup with Midnite Punchestown 4:15 Event Power Champion Hunters Chase – 3m½f (5yo+) Another good renewal of the Hunters Chase with Hollow Games, Willitgoahead, and the progressive Big Intrest all taking their chances. But even with them lining up, it’s hard to see past ITS ON THE LINE not winning this for the third year in a row. He was out of luck in the Foxhunters at the Cheltenham Festival again this year, where he found one too good again. But just like last season, he can gain redemption here. Its On The Line is a horse that comes alive in the spring, and I would be disappointed if he could get back to winning ways today. Out of the others mentioned above, Big Interest should prove to be the biggest danger to Its On The Line. Selection: Its On The LineDanger: Big Interest Bet on Its On The Line for the Event Power Champion Hunters Chase with SBK Punchestown 4:50 Grade 2 Hanlon Concrete Irish EBF Glencarraig Lady Francis Flood Mares Chase – 2m4½f (5yo+) To the naked eye, this year’s renewal of the Grade 2 Mares Chase looks very competitive. But this could easily be taken apart by the Cheltenham Festival winner DINOBLUE. She was getting the better of Allegorie De Vassy before her stablemate came down at the last. That was the second race in a row where Allegorie De Vassy found Dinoblue too good for her, and it’s hard to see her finishing in front of her today. Shecouldbeanything has a lot to find with the selection on their Cheltenham Festival clash, but she has since finished a respectable seventh in the Irish Grand National. But the one to look out for if the applications of first-time cheekpieces have the desired is Brides Hill Selection: Dinoblue 8/15Danger: Brides Hill 8/1Current Betting: Dinoblue 8/15, Allegorie De Vassy 3/1, Brides Hill 8/1, Shecouldbeanything 18/1, Broomfield Bijou 28/1, Must Be Obeyed 33/1. Bet on Dinoblue for the Grade 2 Hanlon Concrete Irish EBF Glencarraig Lady Francis Flood Mares Chase with talkSPORT BET Punchestown 5:25 Listed QuinnBet Novice Handicap Chase – 2m4½f (5yo+) Another great betting race here, and there is one that I have been keeping a close eye on all season, and one that I am convinced is so much better than we have seen so far from him over fences, and that is LISNAGAR FORTUNE. He hasn’t hit the heights that would have been expected of him over fences, and that is down to a bad mistake each time. But, now that he tackles a handicap for the first time off a mark 125, the handicapper could have left him in lightly here. Of course, he needs to brush up on his jumping, but back on a track where he is two from two, there is more than a slight hope that he can leave all previous form well behind him and if he can put in a clear round, Lisnagar Fortune looks weighted to go very close. Others to note are Nara, Blizzard Of Oz, and recent Cheltenham winner Theatre Native. Selection: Lisnagar FortuneDanger: Theatre Native Bet on Lisnargar Fortune for the Listed QuinnBet Novice Handicap Chase with bet365 Punchestown 6:05 Grade 1 Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle – 2m4½f (4yo+) The Turners Novices’ Hurdle 2nd and 3rd meet again here, and they should serve up a crack for the packed Punchestown stands. But even so, a few interesting horses line up to take them on.
It’s finally happening. After years of ‘will he won’t he run’ at the Punchestown Festival, Constitution Hill will finally step foot on an Irish racecourse for the first time in his career.
Before we see Constitution Hills clash against State Man, we have a stacked card to get through on day four of the Punchestown Festival.
Get the best Punchestown odds and promotions with the best horse racing betting sites here.
