UK Horse Racing Tips: Punchestown

FOUNTAIN HOUSE won this week's Ladies Perpetual Cup by 39 lengths and can follow up over the same C&D. The nine-time point-to-point winner landed the Bishopscourt Cup at last year's Festival and while he makes a quick reappearance and meets some formerly smart chasers, he knows his way around this banks course and had an easy race on Tuesday. Four-time Grade 1 winner Fakir D'Oudairies operates at a lower level these days and while he was fourth over this course in February and sixth at Cheltenham afterwards, he hasn't won since January 2023. Lisnamult Lad finished second in last year's Topham Chase and ninth in last month's renewal of that Aintree race, but debuts over banks now.
Prediction : 1st Fountain House 2nd Fakir DOudairies 3rd Lisnamult Lad

FOLLY MASTER was a reserve for the recent Irish National and gets a run here as a reasonably unexposed eight-year-old. Tom Dreaper's gelding finished a useful second at the Fairyhouse Easter Festival last year and although 3lb higher, is now more mature. He has yet to race at this extreme trip, but there are signs that he is a dour stayer and he ran encouragingly over a wholly inadequate distance at Gowran last time. Jasmin De Grugy finished second at last year's meeting and routed his rivals in the Grimthorpe at Doncaster in February, but competes from a career-high mark. Uncle Pat is proven over staying distances having finished second in the Ulster National.
Prediction : 1st Folly Master 2nd Jasmin De Grugy 3rd Uncle Pat

Mark Walsh retains the ride on UHAVEMEINSTITCHES, who appears nicely treated. Out of an Irish National winner, the six-year-old won a Grade 3 at Limerick, while earlier efforts behind high-class rivals The Big Westerner, Jade De Grugy and Dinoblue point to her bettering her current 132 rating. Beckett Rock is unexposed and lightly raced over fences, and ran well over hurdles at the Cheltenham Festival when he was hampered twice. He finished second in a Gowran handicap chase in February and stepping up in distance should help. Argento Boy was beaten 33 lengths into fourth in the Irish National, but that wasn't a bad effort.
Prediction : 1st Uhavemeinstitches 2nd Beckett Rock 3rd Argento Boy

WODHOOH beat Jade De Grugy by a length in the Mares' Hurdle over a similar trip at the Cheltenham Festival and is taken to confirm her superiority. Gordon Elliott's charge has proved a model of consistency only tasting defeat once over hurdles when runner-up to the mighty Lossiemouth at Aintree last year. Jade De Grugy won this in fine style 12 months ago and could improve from her latest run at Cheltenham having previously been campaigned over fences this term. Place De La Nation is next best.
Prediction : 1st Wodhooh 2nd Jade De Grugy 3rd Place De La Nation

APOLON DE CHARNIE was beaten six lengths by Proactif at Auteuil last autumn but turned that form around in no uncertain manner when landing the Triumph Hurdle on his first start for current connections. The selection can progress from that run and also had a number of these rivals, including One Horse Town, well behind at Cheltenham. Proactif has twice beaten Macho Man at Fairyhouse, while owner JP McManus is also represented by impressive Cheltenham Festival winner Saratoga.
Prediction : 1st Apolon De Charnie 2nd Proactif 3rd Saratoga

JUMP ALLEN won twice last spring, including over 2m4f at Sandown, and following a successful reappearance in a charity race here in February, caught the eye when finishing strongly in the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham. He is closely matched with stablemate Kel Histoire on that latest outing, but was denied a clear run at a crucial stage in the straight. Fierce Handay has won twice at Fairyhouse this season and was particularly impressive over an extended 2m5f last time, while Letos only weakened in the closing stages when fourth in the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham and should appreciate this drop back in trip.
Prediction : 1st Jump Allen 2nd Kel Histoire 3rd Fierce Handay

The market is sure to provide vital clues with no bumper form available and perhaps the safest option is to side with the powerful Willie Mullins yard represented by COTSWOLD BLUE, who is a half-sister to three winners and from the family of Big Buck's. Found It and Ballypollard have already shown a level of ability having both won between the flags, while others to keep a close eye on in the betting include Crystasia, Market Square, Runningtostandstil and Kells House. The latter is a half-sister to the smart Blackbow.
Prediction : 1st Cotswold Blue 2nd Found It 3rd Runningtostandstil

MORDOR may prove difficult to beat. The Gordon Elliott-trained gelding certainly won't lack for stamina having finished second in a valuable 2m4f handicap at Glorious Goodwood last summer and returned from a winter break to gain a fifth career win when beating Galileo Dame over 1m6f at Navan. He's preferred to Dark Note, who won this charity race 12 months ago, while Bucaneer's Spirit finished strongly to score over a mile at Cork last week. Touch The Moon and Lightkeeper are others to consider.
Prediction : 1st Mordor 2nd Dark Note 3rd Bucaneers Spirit