Punchestown 2014 - Best of Day 4

Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh did not conquer all with their big race hopes of Quevega and Champagne Fever both being beaten yesterday but today looks far more promising for the pair, with Vatour towering over his rivals in the Champion Novice and Hurricane Fly looking likely to be far more suited to the likely sprint – even with a pacemaker – that today’s Champion Hurdle threatens to become.

Those will be the focus for the big two today but as with this meeting, they hold plenty of other chances and Mullins seems to have found Artic Fire a fine chance to get another win under his belt in the Star Best for Racing Coverage Novice Hurdle (6.40).

Artic Fire on his way to second in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham.
This form gives him a fine chance today in the 6.40

A wide margin winner in November, he hadn’t been asked for an effort when slipping up at Gowran and then finished third in a good looking Royal Bond Hurdle before finding the testing ground at Leopardstown a bit too much at Christmas. A mark of 141 was clearly a generous one in Willie Mullins’s mind as he was targeted at the County Hurdle afterwards and his second to Lac Fontana, just being caught in the closing stages, is the best form in this field by a distance. The winner has since gone onto land the Mersey Novices’ at Aintree while Diakali, who was fourth that day, pushed The New One very close at Aintree, making his effort look all the better, and he should proven tremendously difficult to beat at level weights; He would be giving 12lbs and upwards in a handicap today.

Indian File, who plainly didn’t stay at Clonmel in February, should enjoy returning to 2 miles and looks to be the main danger to the favourite, with Sizing Coldeco also interesting.

There are also no prizes for picking out Sizing Gold in the AON Novice Handicap Chase (4.20), but at the same time he too looks to have been given a fine chance at the weights. Dropped 3lbs for a below par effort in what is now looking to be a very strong JLT Novice Chase at Cheltenham, where he chased a strong gallop set by Uixandre, having also got worked up beforehand, a mark of 137 looks very fair based on his besting of Mullainghoe River – with Folsom Blue and Operating further behind – at Navan to begin the season and he didn’t get home at Naas on his last run before Cheltenham. The slightly softer ground – it’s good to yielding today – should also be of great assistance and a bold showing could be in the offing here. The competition he faces is fierce, with Banaslow and Road to Riches very hard to split for Gigginstown, while Ericht is respected, and it may be at the top weight, under La Touche winning rider Ger Fox, claiming 7lbs, proves to be his biggest threat after an impressive win at Naas over last night’s handicap winner Mallowney at Fairyhouse last time for Noel Meade, and he may be worth having onside in a fiercely contested event.

Advice

4 pts win Artic Fire, 6.40 Punchestown (4/5 Coral, 8/11 general)

1 pt win Sizing Gold, 4.20 Punchestown, (5/1 general)

1 pt each/way Road to Riches, 4.20 Punchestown (7/1 Paddy Power*)

4* places