Thursday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

Only five runners contest this 0-85 handicap and a chance is taken on LIGHTENING SHORE (best priced at 4/1) on his first start for Charlie Fellowes. The four-year-old had previously shown his best form for Richard Hughes at Lingfield with two 2nd placed efforts including when fitted with first time cheekpieces on his penultimate start.

Lightening Shore was purchased for 14,500gns following his final run in October and he now returns with Charlie Fellowes on his first start for 204 days. New connections fit him with a first-time visor for his stable debut as well as dropping him in trip to 7f. He looks worth taking a chance on with many of the runners struggling for recent form.

The Willie Mullins trained KLASSICAL DREAM (best priced at 13/8) put in an impressive performance winning this race last year by nine lengths and he should hold strong claims of a repeat victory this year. The eight-year-old made a winning reappearance this season in the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown beating Flooring Porter by two lengths when making all. He underperformed at Gowran Park on his next start but ran well to finish 5th in the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Klassical Dream played up at the start that day and as a result raced keenly during the early stages of the race meaning that he weakened up the hill at the finish. This return to Punchestown should suit him well and I expect him to prove hard to beat with an uncontested lead.  

JP McManus has the favourite for this race in The Bomber Liston but I prefer the chances of his supposed second-string A GREAT VIEW (best priced at 18/1) who is a two-time winner at Punchestown including in this race in 2018. The eleven-year-old has run well this season with his best performance coming when 2nd in a Grade B Handicap Hurdle at Navan in December when he finished 2 ½ lengths by subsequent Coral Cup winner Commander Of Fleet.

That performance came off a mark of 123 and he is only 1lb higher here so he looks a strong each way contender with six places available and Mark Walsh taking over on board.