1 pt win On The Fringe, 2.40 Punchestown (7/2 Hills)
The last day of the Punchestown Festival starts with the
banks racing and three classy types dominate the betting here. Sizing Australia
deserves to be favourite on his best banks form, which is namely his win over
the Cross Country fences at Cheltenham and what looked set to be another
winning effort here at last year’s festival when slipping up around 7 out when
going well. He was arguably going into this year’s festival in even better form
when finishing a good third in the same handicap hurdle he was seventh in
before last year’s win at Cheltenham, but could never raise a proper effort
when finishing a well beaten fourth behind Balthazar King, and he now returns
to Punchestown.
The main question mark over him would have to be the ground.
While he does have a soft ground win to his name, he seems to be much better
for the good ground at the end of the season and this is as testing as it’s
been at Punchestown.
Cooldine is a former top class RSA Chase winner who looked
set for Gold Cup glory at one time this season but he lost his way and is now
given his first try over the banks courses having finished well behind Leanne
at Clonmel last time. He should be fine on this ground, the stable have been in
great form all week, and he’d be one of the classier recruits to this game of
late, but one would want to see some of the old zest return before backing him.
Cross country specialist Enda Bolger has four entered here
and On The Fringe looks the classiest of of them on form, with his third to
Salisfy on his seasonal return looking like an excellent effort now following
that horse’s Cheltenham win, while he just failed to give On The Fringe 10lbs
and a beating at Fairyhouse on soft ground. He has an eight length win to his
name on this ground and is also the choice of Mr J T McNamara out of the four
Bolger runners, so he has to be seriously respected.
Arabella Boy and Outlaw Pete could be potentially great
choices given how well they were travelling when going out in unlucky
circumstances here on Thursday in the La Touche Cup, but one has to worry that
that would have taken out of them.
1 pt win Une Artiste, 5.05 Punchestown (15/8 general)
Nicky Henderson’s had an amazing season despite being edged
out for the trainers title only by the Grand National win of Neptune Collonges,
and he can round off yet another successful Punchestown Festival raid with Une
Artiste in the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association Fillies Scheme E.B.F.
Mares Hurdle.
All week we’ve seen soft and heavy ground form come to the
fore, and Nicky Henderson’s progressive filly – a winner on heavy ground in
France twice before coming to the season – was a game winner in testing ground
at Haydock before ending up well beaten in the Adonis Hurdle (a very good race
this season on paper) before landing the Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle at the
Cheltenham Festival in good style. The fierce pace helped her a bit that day,
but she looked like a genuinely progressive horse when winning a Listed Mares
Hurdle just 9 days ago in good (and relatively easy style) from a good
yardstick in Swincombe Flame. This is even tougher ground but if getting
through it, she’ll take all the beating.
Baby Shine – third to Simonsig last time at Aintree – has a
heavy ground win to her name and could well prove to be quite a notable threat
on that form, while Georgeous Sixty is interesting if she really was back to
her best, like she seemed to hint at last time when travelling best in the
Grade 3 GSB Hurdle – she might handle this ground too.
Vast Consumption deserves respect based on her progressive
for, while the Irish Mares Brigade of Our Girl Sally, Shadown Elie, Golden Sunbird
and Burn and Turn all have their claims, while not being as unexposed as our
pick.
1 pt each/way Le Beau Bai & West End Rocker 3.10 Sandown
(7/1 & 8/1 Paddy Power)
The last proper race of the jumps season may well be one of
the toughest given the rain that has hit Sandown of late, but the testing
ground offers a big chance for Le Beau Bai to pull off a big handicap chase
double in today’s Bet365 Gold Cup.
Revived by Richard Lee this term are a disappointing last
campaign, Le Beau Bai really hit his three race golden run when coming right
away from Sona Sasta at Chepstow (a favourite course of his) in December, and
then following that up with a tenacious win in the Welsh National, drawing
right away from Giles Cross with the rest nowhere.
Those placings were reversed next time out in the Grand
National Trial at Haydock but there was no shame in that with Giles Cross a
class act in the mud and Neptune Collonges now the Grand National winner, and
his exemplary record (eight wins on soft to heavy ground, and 5 of those at 3
miles and above) in this testing ground makes him a worthy favourite here.
Also worth having on your side is the Becher Chase winner
West End Rocket, who was once again an early faller in the Grand National but
deserves a good crack at a big prize based on his wide margin Becher Chase win
on ground just as testing at Aintree previously. That came after a disappointing
effort at Cheltenham but he’d previously been progressive over this trip and
his Classsic Chase win is a good example of that.
He may be 11lbs higher in the handicap for his win at
Aintree but if he jumps and travels as well as he did there today then he
should prove hard to keep out of the frame at the end. With four winners since
2001 being novices the 7 year olds Roalco De Farges and Viking Blond deserve significant
respect, but of more interest are Rare Bob – who’s known to go well on heavy ground
– and Glaxy Rock, who does have heavy ground form and was travelling like a
dream in the Scottish National before being pulled up. Ideally he’d want this
ground better but he’s one to watch in running and a price of 22/1 is big –
Jonjo O’Neill has pulled off similar training performances.
Cirrus Des Aigles: Finally got group 1 win on the board
after numerous attempts when coming with late charge to land Champion Stakes at
Ascot and once again tasting success at the highest level when holding off
Breeders Cup winner St Nicholas Abbey at Meydan, sealing the race at the top of
the straight; Class act of the race and ground/trip no worry, so has to be the
one to beat. 
Wigmore Hall: Gained a deserved Group 1 win after many
unlucky trips (most of all when blocked for a run behind Cape Blanco in
Arlington Million) in Canadian International; No wins since despite strong efforts
in many races, never able to get a blow into the Dubai Duty Free last time;
Never been tried on ground this soft. 
Saga Dream: Listed winner last September but reliably held by
Cirrus Des Aigles and Giofora on form and hard to see him landing a blow. 
Reliable Man: Rapidy progressive as a 3yo, with 5 wins from
6 starts including the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly in most taking style,
having made up plenty of ground in straight; Beaten in Grand Prix De Paris where
questionable ride left him with too much ground to make up and reversed that
form in Niel when 
Giofora: Steadily progressive last season, quickening away
to win Listed event here last October but that nothing compared to exceptional
display when trashing Group 2 winner and stablemate Vadamar, bolting up with
ease in Prix D’Harcourt; Looked Group 1 class on that display and needs 
Pagera: Six length winner at Saint Cloud last month but unplaced
on last try in Group 1 company and looks sure to be outclassed here. 
