It’s Day Four of the Punchestown Festival on Friday, with Cheltenham Festival winners Ballyburn and State Man taking centre stage.
Our tipping experts, Alan Kelly and Charlie McCann, have free Punchestown tips on-site, including an 8/1 selection.
Charlie McCann - 4:50pm Punchestown - Brides Hill (Nap)
Allegorie De Vassy will appreciate the return to a right-hand track, having finished a moderate fourth in the Mares Chase at Cheltenham last time. The mare finished third in the corresponding race 12 months ago, however, when held up, and I wonder if Paul Townend will let her stride on this afternoon. I thought she was going to be an absolute superstar two seasons ago, but she has not gone on as I thought she would.
At the time of writing, Willie Mullins has had four winners from the first two days of the meeting, but he has not hit the heights many expected, although he has a strong hand on Day 4 with State Man and Ballyburn looking to follow up their Cheltenham Festival wins in the Grade 1 features. He could have four or five winners on Friday, but I hope to see Gavin Cromwell’s BRIDES HILL (Nap) maintain her unbeaten record this season in the Grade 2 Mares’ Chase.
The mare missed Cheltenham on account of the prevailing soft ground and connections’ patience can be rewarded. Cromwell saddled the winner of the Cheltenham race with Limerick Lace who misses today’s contest although Brides Hill would still have been the selection on ground given as good to yielding on Thursday morning. The 7/4 with Bet365 looks fair and she did us a big favour at Huntingdon last time. This is a much better race, but she gets the vote in receipt of 2lbs from the favourite.
Alan Kelly - 5:25pm Punchestown - Ferns Lock (Each-Way)
Despite disappointing on his last two starts, I still think the David Christie-trained FERNS LOCK (Each-Way) is an outstanding prospect when at his best. The seven-year-old lost the St James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup at the Cheltenham Festival before the race even started, acting up in the proceedings before failing to settle over a trip (3m 2f plus) which tested Ferns Lock’s suspect stamina.
Beaten by fellow rival Boss Robin on his most recent start, a horse Ferns Lock had beaten by over 40 lengths at Thurles in January, the Telescope gelding would take plenty of beating if in that kind of form and over the same trip of 3m plus. This is just about the best hunter chase run all season, featuring a host of potential dangers, including Famous Clermont, It’s On The Line and Lifetime Ambition, to name but a few.
Top point-to-point trainer David Christie has always rated Ferns Lock the best he has had through his hands, and the selection can finally justify his lofty reputation with conditions to suit.
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