UK Horse Racing Tips: Punchestown

BALLYGUNNER CASTLE was a useful novice hurdler and finished second to a promising type on his chase debut here earlier in the month. A lot of Willie Mullins' runners have been coming on for their their first run of the campaign and the Soldier Of Fortune gelding is likely to be hard to beat. Slade Steel won last year's Supreme Novices' Hurdle and has been runner-up on all three starts over fences. He was beaten by a Mullins-trained rival on his reappearance at Navan and steps up to 3m for the first time since winning a point-to-point. Argento Boy, another Mullins inmate, fell when favourite for the race in which the selection was second here and has to be respected.
Prediction : 1st Ballygunner Castle 2nd Slade Steel 3rd Argento Boy

A course winner over hurdles, SAMMY SMART was a fine second on his handicap chase debut at Thurles last month. The winner followed up on his next outing and is now rated 30lb higher than when the selection came up against him. Trainer Tom Gibney has had a couple of horses run well in recent days and the Kalanisi gelding looks set to go close under his capable 5lb claimer. Crecora Hills had Three In A Row back in fourth when a well-backed winner at Naas and may be progressive enough to confirm that form despite a 12lb swing in the weights. Casey West bounced back to form when second at Fairyhouse and has to enter calculations as well.
Prediction : 1st Sammy Smart 2nd Crecora Hills 3rd Casey West

SARATOGA is a fascinating jumping debutant for Padraig Roche. The son of Camelot was decent on the Flat for Aidan O'Brien and, given that he won a handicap over an extended 1m6f on testing ground at Listowel, he could have plenty to offer in this discipline. Mino Des Mottes looks an obvious contender on Irish debut for Willie Mullins. He was a handy winner on the Flat in July in his native France and is sure to be well schooled for his jumping debut. He looks the sort of recruit the champion trainer does so well with. Wackestone has improved on each of his three runs over hurdles and is likely to be in the thick of the action.
Prediction : 1st Saratoga 2nd Mino Des Mottes 3rd Wackestone

EL FABIOLO, who has so much class, has to be given maximum respect back over the smaller obstacles. He's returning to action having fallen in three of his last four high-class chases and should enjoy this assignment. He's two from three at Punchestown including in a novice hurdle. Ballyadam placed in the last two renewals of the Coral Cup at Cheltenham and looks a big player in his bid for back-to-back victories. Glen Kiln is another who commands respect, while Martin Brassil's French-import Ain't Got Wings is worth a market check. Spillane's Tower should come on from an unplaced effort on seasonal reappearance in Naas.
Prediction : 1st El Fabiolo 2nd Ballyadam 3rd Glen Kiln

KLASS LANGY has plenty of notable form in France and could go well with Hugh Horgan taking 5lb off his back. He actually went off favourite on stable debut for a valuable handicap chase at Cheltenham last month and the return to hurdles might aid his cause. San Hilario is on a dangerous weight for the red-hot team of Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy. The form of Theflyingbee's runner-up berth in Navan received a significant boost when the winner followed up at Leopardstown over Christmas. Theflyingbee's two victories came over similar trips to this one, while A Dream To Share is likely to put it all together over flights sooner rather than later.
Prediction : 1st Klass Langy 2nd San Hilario 3rd Theflyingbee

The Tom Mullins-trained SPACE WARRIOR may be able to gain a second career victory in a race which lacks any strength in depth. Rated much higher in the past, the four-year-old son of Belardo shaped with promise when mid-division at this track last month. Although he will need to back up that effort if he is to land this, the gelding seems to run his best races on tight, right-handed tracks. King Bob, who showed his first hint of ability when third at Tramore in October, is a lightly-raced gelding that should be open to further improvement. Blue Reed has had plenty of chances but perhaps the application of first-time cheekpieces can bring about the necessary improvement.
Prediction : 1st Space Warrior 2nd King Bob 3rd Blue Reed

A promising fifth on her introduction at Fairyhouse in April, LUCIOLE DES BORDES can land this finale. Sent off 25/1 for that valuable sales bumper, the Willie Mullins-trained daughter of Jeu St Eloi belied those odds with a nice effort to get within six lengths of the winner. Sure to have come on for that experience, it would be no surprise to see the four-year-old register a first career success. Given the form of the Gordon Elliott team all week, recent Monksgrange point-to-point winner Sound Judgement has to be respected on her Rules debut. A half-sister to a black-type horse, Tramore bumper runner-up Lilannbee looks to be gradually improving with each start.
Prediction : 1st Luciole Des Bordes 2nd Sound Judgement 3rd Lilannbee