Punchestown Festival Tips Day 2

The second day of the best Irish jumps festival of the season takes place at Punchestown on Wednesday and the biggest race of the week takes centre stage.

Wednesday’s card runs from 14:30-18:35 and the feature is the Punchestown Gold Cup (17:25), where Cheltenham hero Galopin Des Champs returns.

We've assessed the action across the card on Wednesday at Punchestown and picked out our best bets.

14:30 - Adare Manor Opportunity Series Final Handicap Hurdle (2m31/2f)

A wide-open race to kick things off and it can go to DARK NOTE, who returned from a five-month break to finish second at Naas last month and that should have put him spot on for a crack at this race. He shapes like he will be well suited by stepping up three-and-a-half furlongs in trip here and, with conditions to suit, a big run looks on the cards.

Selection: Dark Note

15:05 - Connolly's RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Hurdle Series Final (2m31/2f)

Willie Mullins has had an outstanding season and appears to have a strong chance here with BLIZZARD OF OZ, who looked better than ever when winning over 2m at Leopardstown last time. That was a career-best effort and there should be more to come from this course-and-distance winner now that he is back up in trip.

Selection: Blizzard Of Oz

15:40 - Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Hurdle (2m31/2f)

This is another open hurdle race but the one to be on is CLEATUS POOLAW. He has been running consistently well this winter over intermediate distances and didn’t appear to stay when upped to 3m in the Pertemps at Cheltenham last time. He still ran a solid race in midfield and should find this a lot easier, especially now he is back at a more suitable trip.

Selection: Cleatus Poolaw

16:15 - Channor Real Estate Group Novice Hurdle (Grade 1, 3m)

This is a rematch between Cheltenham winner Stellar Story and the third in that Albert Bartlett, DANCING CITY. Preference is for Dancing City, who probably found Cheltenham’s stiff finish and heavy ground placing too much of an emphasis on stamina that day and has since produced an impressive display to score at Aintree on better going. This course will suit and conditions are in his favour again, so Dancing City can reverse the Cheltenham form.

Selection: Dancing City

16:50 - Race & Stay At Punchestown Champion I.N.H. Flat Race (Grade 1, 2m1/2f)

The Cheltenham Champion Bumper form will probably prove key to finding the winner of this race and the winner, JASMIN DE VAUX, is fancied to follow up. The lightly raced five-year-old is unbeaten in three starts and stayed on strongly to land that first Grade 1 last time. He had several of these rivals in behind and a reproduction of that form will be enough. Patrick Mullins is back in the saddle and it will be a surprise if his mount can’t follow up his Cheltenham success with another top-level win here.

Selection: Jasmin De Vaux

17:25 - Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup (Grade 1, 3m1f)

Another Cheltenham hero returns to the track here as the Gold Cup winner himself, GALOPIN DES CHAMPS, bids to follow up. He went off the boil after last year’s Gold Cup and the worry is the same could happen again. However, there is no obvious reason why he should lose his form this year and is a class apart if showing his best, so can’t be opposed.

Selection: Galopin Des Champs

18:00 - HSS Hire Handicap Chase (2m41/2f)

This can go to Mullins again, but it might not be Paul Townend’s mount who comes home in front. Townend rides James Du Berlais, but preference is for ADAMANTLY CHOSEN. He was an impressive winner at Down Royal last month and can be forgiven a disappointing run at Aintree last time. He was tailed off and reportedly bled from the nose. Put a line through that effort and he is worth another chance, provided he can return to his best form.

Selection: Adamantly Chosen

18:35 - Weatherbys General Stud Book Irish EBF Mares INH Flat Race (2m1/2f)

Another one that will likely go to the Mullins team and FLEUR AU FUSIL is preferred to stablemate Aurora Vega. Fleur Au Fusil won her first two starts in bumpers and pulled hard when seventh in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham last time behind stablemate Jasmin De Vaux. This is a weaker race and she can take advantage, especially if she settles better.

Selection: Fluer Au Fusil