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Alan Kelly's Tips - Thursday, 30 April
Day three of the Punchestown Festival on Thursday features two Grade 1 contests, the Barberstown Castle Novice Chase at 5:35pm followed by the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle at 6:05pm.
3:40pm Punchestown - Vanillier
The first two horses home in last year’s La Touche Cup, Enda Bolger’s Busselton and the Martin Brassil-trained Desertmore House take each other on again under the same terms, the pair separated by three quarters of a length 12 months ago. Gavin Cromwell’s grey VANILLIER started favourite for this 4m 1f cross country chase on that occasion, the 11-year-old in the lead when stumbling and unseating today’s rider Keith Donoghue at the 12th fence.
Of the three contenders, Vanillier is the one with the best recent form and should take plenty of beating granted a bit better luck than when failing to get the run of the race when third in Cheltenham’s Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at the festival.
Prior to that run, the Martaline gelding had run out a comfortable winner over fellow rival The Goffer over 3m 1f on this course in February, and while the selection would prefer a bit of rain, I expect Vanillier to confirm that form with Gordon Elliott’s charge on 3lb worse terms.
Recommendation: Vanillier - 9/4 with Paddy Power
4:50pm Punchestown - McLaurey (Each-Way) (Nap)
Trainer Emmett Mullins is rarely found wanting when the money is down, the victory of the well-backed Soldier In Milan in the Irish Grand National a perfect example. The shrewd Irish stable were confident of a big run from the J P McManus-owned MCLAUREY (Each-Way) (Nap) in the Plate at the Cheltenham Festival, the Jukebox Jury gelding sent off a heavily-supported 5/1 second favourite in a field of 23.
Prominent when badly hampered on the turn before jumping the second-last at Prestbury Park, McLaurey eventually weakened into seventh place when unable to get back into contention. Dropped 3lb to a mark of 130, connections will be keen to get their money back with a victory for the unexposed seven-year-old in this 75,000 Euro Listed handicap chase.
One of four runners for the leading owner, McLaurey may have most to fear from Paul Nolan’s Release The Beast, fourth in the Grand Annual at the festival and with talented 5lb claimer Eoin Staples taking over from Sean Flanagan in the saddle. This drop back in trip should not be a problem for McLaurey, who will have a tongue tie for the first time.
Recommendation: McLaurey (Each-Way) (Nap) - 7/1 with Paddy Power (5 places)
4:57pm Yarmouth - Moonshine
The Ed Walker stable are having a decent run at the moment, the trainer enjoying a 25% strike rate over the last couple of weeks with 6 winners from 24 runners as I write. Walker looks to have an excellent chance of taking this 7f fillies’ handicap courtesy of the Highclere-owned MOONSHINE, the mount of jockey James Doyle who has also been firing in the winners of late.
The daughter of Starman made a promising debut when finishing a close third in a Newbury maiden last summer (the winner rated 83) before failing to justify favouritism behind the Karl Burke-trained Samra Green at Haydock three weeks later, that horse now running off a mark of 86.
Moonshine returns to turf today following a couple of runs on the all-weather this year, the most recent when opening her account at Kempton last month when beating James Fanshawe’s odds-on favourite Archer’s Grace by just over a length. Making her handicap debut off a mark of only 77, I will be surprised if the selection fails to prove a lot better than that before the end of the season.
Jonathan Portman’s Brisk Symphony wasn’t disgraced in finishing 8th in Newmarket’s Listed Bosra Sham Stakes on her final start at two and may give the selection most to do along with You’ll Think Of Me, who won a minor race at Kempton on her first start for trainer Kevin Philippart De Foy after leaving the Irish stable of Donnacha O’Brien.
Recommendation: Moonshine - 11/4 with bet365
* Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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About Alan Kelly
A passionate follower of horse racing for over 50 years, Alan has enjoyed a 40-year career in the betting industry, 28 of which he spent running his betting shop as an owner/manager.
A successful punter with a keen eye for value, Alan has had many betting highlights, including a Scoop 6 win and has shown a consistent profit in the battle with bookmakers since joining Freebets.com in 2008.
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