talkSPORT betting tips – Best racing bets and expert advice for Punchestown Festival Day 5
The fifth and final day of the Punchestown Festival takes place on Saturday afternoon as the jumps season comes to an end. It’s an eight-race card at the Co Kildare venue and there are two more Grade 1s to be decided, the Mares Champion Hurdle (3.42) and the Champion Four Year Old Hurdle (4.50). Our three best bets for day five at Punchestown are below. talkSPORT BET welcome offer – Bet £10 Get £30 in free bets* Punchestown Saturday tips 4.15 Punchestown – Beachcomber – SP 4.50 Punchestown – Lulamba – 2/1 5.25 Punchestown – Raglan Road – SP 4.15 Punchestown – Beachcomber – SP British raiders have done surprisingly well at Punchestown this week, noticeably in some of the handicaps, and that will give Jonjo & AJ O’Neill a sense of belief that BEACHCOMBER can run a big race in the Palmerstown House Estate Pat Taaffe Handicap Chase. This Listed contest is run over three miles and a furlong, a trip that clearly suits the seven-year-old. A bumper and hurdles winner, he ran well on his first two starts over fences at Chepstow and Exeter this season before being pulled up at Cheltenham in a race won by subsequent Festival/Irish Grand National scorer Haiti Couleurs. First-time blinkers worked an oracle for Beachcomber as he scored in stealthy fashion at Kempton (3m, good to soft) over Christmas off a mark of 127. He perhaps paid for doing too much in front back at Kempton in February in a valuable contest but his prominent racing style could be well suited to Punchestown and if he gets in a good jumping rhythm, he’ll make plenty of gains at the obstacles. Rated 3lb lower than when contesting that Kempton contest last time, he’s another British raider with sound claims heading to Ireland. 4.50 Punchestown – Lulamba – 2/1 Sticking with the theme, LULAMBA can prove a cut above his rivals in the Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle for Nicky Henderson. This Grade 1 has been good to the Seven Barrows handler, who has bagged the prize with Katarino, Punjabi, Grandouet and Fusil Raffles in the past. Lulamba looked a really smart prospect when scoring at Ascot on his UK bow in January and was only denied a neck in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham in March by 100/1 shot Poniros. They meet again now. The Willie Mullins-trained Poniros was having his first hurdles run that afternoon and rather pounced on Lulamba in the dying strides. James Bowen will be fully aware of where the danger lies now and can avenge that Cotswolds defeat and give Henderson a fifth career win in this Grade 1. 5.25 Punchestown – Raglan Road – SP Henry De Bromhead saddles RAGLAN ROAD in the Listed Lawlor’s Of Naas Handicap Hurdle over 2m4½f and a big run is anticipated from Mark Walsh’s partner. After contesting some decent maiden hurdles last season he improved to win on handicap bow at Naas (2m3f, soft) in March last year. Things ended on a sour note at Fairyhouse soon after when he was pulled up on heavy ground and this season began belatedly with a decent fifth at Navan (2m4f, soft) in January. The Soldier Of Fortune gelding ran a career-best when third in the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham in March behind next-time-out Aintree Hurdle runner-up Wodhooh. He contests this prize off the same mark of 131 and should put in a big effort before perhaps turning his attention to chasing next season. talkSPORT BET welcome offer – Bet £10 Get £30 in free bets* *all odds correct at time of writing and subject to change 18+ New customers only. Opt in & bet £10 on any horse racing at 2.00+ odds within 7 days. No Cash out. Get 6x £5 Free Bets on selected markets. Free bets expire in 7 days. Card payments & Apple Pay only. Scroll down for T&Cs. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chase their losses Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed GamCare – www.gamcare.org.uk Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites. Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. T&Cs apply. Gambleaware.org
The fifth and final day of the Punchestown Festival takes place on Saturday afternoon as the jumps season comes to an end.
It’s an eight-race card at the Co Kildare venue and there are two more Grade 1s to be decided, the Mares Champion Hurdle (3.42) and the Champion Four Year Old Hurdle (4.50).
Our three best bets for day five at Punchestown are below.
talkSPORT BET welcome offer – Bet £10 Get £30 in free bets*
Punchestown Saturday tips
- 4.15 Punchestown – Beachcomber – SP
- 4.50 Punchestown – Lulamba – 2/1
- 5.25 Punchestown – Raglan Road – SP
4.15 Punchestown – Beachcomber – SP
British raiders have done surprisingly well at Punchestown this week, noticeably in some of the handicaps, and that will give Jonjo & AJ O’Neill a sense of belief that BEACHCOMBER can run a big race in the Palmerstown House Estate Pat Taaffe Handicap Chase.
This Listed contest is run over three miles and a furlong, a trip that clearly suits the seven-year-old.
A bumper and hurdles winner, he ran well on his first two starts over fences at Chepstow and Exeter this season before being pulled up at Cheltenham in a race won by subsequent Festival/Irish Grand National scorer Haiti Couleurs.
First-time blinkers worked an oracle for Beachcomber as he scored in stealthy fashion at Kempton (3m, good to soft) over Christmas off a mark of 127.
He perhaps paid for doing too much in front back at Kempton in February in a valuable contest but his prominent racing style could be well suited to Punchestown and if he gets in a good jumping rhythm, he’ll make plenty of gains at the obstacles.
Rated 3lb lower than when contesting that Kempton contest last time, he’s another British raider with sound claims heading to Ireland.
4.50 Punchestown – Lulamba – 2/1
Sticking with the theme, LULAMBA can prove a cut above his rivals in the Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle for Nicky Henderson.
This Grade 1 has been good to the Seven Barrows handler, who has bagged the prize with Katarino, Punjabi, Grandouet and Fusil Raffles in the past.
Lulamba looked a really smart prospect when scoring at Ascot on his UK bow in January and was only denied a neck in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham in March by 100/1 shot Poniros. They meet again now.
The Willie Mullins-trained Poniros was having his first hurdles run that afternoon and rather pounced on Lulamba in the dying strides. James Bowen will be fully aware of where the danger lies now and can avenge that Cotswolds defeat and give Henderson a fifth career win in this Grade 1.
5.25 Punchestown – Raglan Road – SP
Henry De Bromhead saddles RAGLAN ROAD in the Listed Lawlor’s Of Naas Handicap Hurdle over 2m4½f and a big run is anticipated from Mark Walsh’s partner.
After contesting some decent maiden hurdles last season he improved to win on handicap bow at Naas (2m3f, soft) in March last year.
Things ended on a sour note at Fairyhouse soon after when he was pulled up on heavy ground and this season began belatedly with a decent fifth at Navan (2m4f, soft) in January.
The Soldier Of Fortune gelding ran a career-best when third in the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham in March behind next-time-out Aintree Hurdle runner-up Wodhooh.
He contests this prize off the same mark of 131 and should put in a big effort before perhaps turning his attention to chasing next season.
talkSPORT BET welcome offer – Bet £10 Get £30 in free bets*
*all odds correct at time of writing and subject to change
18+ New customers only. Opt in & bet £10 on any horse racing at 2.00+ odds within 7 days. No Cash out. Get 6x £5 Free Bets on selected markets. Free bets expire in 7 days. Card payments & Apple Pay only. Scroll down for T&Cs. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chase their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
- GamCare – www.gamcare.org.uk
- Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org
For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. T&Cs apply. Gambleaware.org
