Three betting selections for Road to Cheltenham on Day 4 of the Punchestown Festival.
16:50 Punchestown
All eyes will be on Punchestown on Friday evening as Constitution Hill and State Man renew their rivalry. Here, I give my three leading fancies across what should hopefully be an exciting and entertaining day of jumps racing...
There are only two places available for each way players but I still make Brides Hill a tad too big at the current prices and she’s well worth backing to place. She wasn’t right for much of the season but bounced back at Cheltenham to finish second.
Dinoblue finished eight lengths clear that day but she’ll have been trained with that race in mind while this may have been the plan for Gavin Cromwell’s mount. She was much the best 12 months ago, beating the likes of Instit and Allegorie de Vassy.
The latter lines up here and is priced at 7/2 but I can’t have her at all. She blows hot and cold and she’s untrustworthy at best, whereas you can be sure that Brides Hill will run her race. I’m expecting a big performance on her favoured surface.
18:05 Punchestown
Belloccio has been on the go since last spring and he is a horse that relishes summer ground, having won the Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot last year. He was touted as a potential Supreme Novices Hurdle type around 12 months ago and I still believe he can compete at Grade 1 level over jumps.
The form of his third in the Grade 2 Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse in April has worked out well, with Irancy following up in the Grade 1 Champion Novice Hurdle earlier this week while Gaucher – half a length behind my selection – was fourth in a Listed handicap hurdle off top weight.
This horse will love the ground and should improve for the trip. His victory at Royal Ascot came on a good to firm surface and I’m hopeful of a big run.
18:40 Punchestown
I saw a clip of Constitution Hill schooling over fences (yes, fences) earlier this week and he looks a natural and hopefully he’ll respect his hurdles more after popping a few of the bigger obstacles while working at Seven Barrows.
He fell at Cheltenham and then fell again at Aintree but I wonder if a return to traditional birch hurdles may help him. Maybe I’m clutching at straws a bit but I’m actually sticking with him here as I think he still retains the ability needed to win this race.
We’ve been deprived of some big clashes this season – in the Irish Champion Hurdle, the Champion Hurdle itself and of course the Aintree Hurdle – so hopefully the market leaders are bang there at the end and we could be in for a real treat.
