UK Horse Racing Tips: Punchestown

PURE STEEL weakened after a mistake in Grade 3 company here last month but can bounce back now. The Yeats gelding had been an impressive winner over C&D previously and may benefit from coming back in distance again. Similarly Relieved Of Duties drops in class after finding graded company a bit hot last time. He had run well in a novice event at Cheltenham prior to that and could be a big player in this company. I Am Lorenzo won at Fairyhouse a month ago but faces a tougher task on this occasion.
Prediction : 1st Pure Steel 2nd Relieved Of Duties 3rd I Am Lorenzo

KISS WILL has been the beaten favourite on his two outings over fences to date and can make it third time lucky now. The Tunis gelding was turned over at a short price on his chase debut behind a smart sort in Flicker Of Hope and then found Koktail Divin too strong at Leopardstown over Christmas. He's still unexposed and this looks like a nice opportunity. He should confirm Leopardstown form with Shuffle The Deck, who was four lengths behind him in third. Pray Tell ran well at a big price when second here on New Year's Eve and a similar effort could see him get involved.
Prediction : 1st Kiss Will 2nd Pray Tell 3rd Shuffle The Deck

THE LOVELY MAN revels in testing conditions and comes here in fine form. Gavin Cromwell's charge was a good winner over fences at Navan in mid-December before landing a handicap hurdle at Gowran last month. He races off a 10lb higher chase mark now, but looks progressive. Gordon Elliott has won the last four runnings of this and Jack Kennedy sides with Lucky Lyreen, who stayed well when winning at Down Royal last month. He got the better of Born Braver by a neck in a driving finish, but is 2lb worse off. This marathon trip could bring further improvement, though.
Prediction : 1st The Lovely Man 2nd Lucky Lyreen 3rd Born Braver

There is not much to choose between LAZARE DE STAR and Zeus Power based on their meeting at Navan last month. The Gordon Elliott-trained gelding, who previously won a maiden at the Leopardstown Christmas meeting, looked the winner most of the way up the straight that day only to be headed in the closing stages. The combination of this easier track and a 5lb swing in the weights may give him the edge. Heads Up had smart form in bumpers last season and has taken well to hurdles, but needs to bounce back after a disappointing effort at Cheltenham.
Prediction : 1st Lazare De Star 2nd Zeus Power 3rd Heads Up

DANI DONADONI won a Limerick bumper in impressive fashion last spring and beat all bar Lord Rouge when switched to hurdles in a 19-runner Cork maiden in December. He needs to bounce back after being soundly beaten later that month at Leopardstown, but is taken to do so. Ksar Fatal and Panjandrum must also put disappointing efforts behind them. The former, who easily won a point-to-point and impressed in a Gowran bumper, has now joined Barry Connell from Willie Mullins. Panjandrum won a point and a bumper too, but reportedly bled when pulled up on his hurdling debut at Limerick.
Prediction : 1st Dani Donadoni 2nd Panjandrum 3rd Ksar Fatal

NETTUNO ITALIA opened his account over a similar trip here last month and may follow up with Danny Gilligan keeping the partnership intact. The form of that contest has been well advertised by the runner up since and his ability to handle testing ground will stand the gelding in good stead. Kir won over 3m at Limerick in October and is weighted to confirm superiority over Fairyhouse winner From The Ashes on their meeting at Limerick shortly after Christmas. Gorvitho and Drop A Threat both step up in trip on their handicap debuts, while West Of Bally and Sean Mc are others to consider.
Prediction : 1st Nettuno Italia 2nd Kir 3rd West Of Bally

BEGORRA MAN showed plenty of promise both over hurdles and in a bumper last term. The Gavin Cromwell-trained gelding hasn't been seen since finishing runner-up to the impressive Gameofinches in this race last year with a number of subsequent winners behind. Soul Asylum was narrowly denied in a point-to-point at Dromahane in November before being snapped up by current connections for 280,000 pounds. Point-to-point winner Heldam faded in the straight when favourite on his debut under Rules at the Leopardstown Christmas meeting but it is too soon to write him off.
Prediction : 1st Begorra Man 2nd Soul Asylum 3rd Heldam

JUMP ALLEN won twice over hurdles last spring on varying ground conditions, including over 2m4f at Sandown. The seven-year-old is preferred to The Nagger Reidy, who has also won twice over hurdles, including when well backed on his penultimate start at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival. Dual bumper winner That Danny Feeling could bounce back after disappointing over hurdles here recently, with Raydamann another to consider.
Prediction : 1st Jump Allen 2nd The Nagger Reidy 3rd That Danny Feeling