Punchestown Festival Day 2 Betting Tips
The Punchestown Festival rolls on with another top-class day of action with an eight-race card.
The feature race on day two is the four-runner Punchestown Gold Cup in which Galopin Des Champs will be bidding to get back on track after his defeat in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
We have selections and analysis for all eight races on Wednesday’s card including a last time out winner that can go well again.
Day 2 Selections:
- 14:30: Kap Vert
- 15:05: Champagne Glory
- 15:40: American Mike
- 16:15: Honesty Policy
- 16:50: Copacabanna
- 17:30: Galopin Des Champs
- 18:05: Blue Lord
- 18:35: Good Girl Kathleen
2.30 Punchestown - 2m3½f Adare Manor Opportunity Series Final Handicap Hurdle (4yo+)
The opener to day two looks competitive, but this can go the way of the British raider Kap Vert who was better than the bare result in Britain last time out.
He was still involved before a mistake in a hot race at Wetherby recently, and expect him to be firmly in the mix again from the same handicap mark if he can put together a clear round of jumping.
Selection: Kap Vert
3.05 Punchestown - 2m3½f Connolly's RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Hurdle Series Final (4yo+)
Champagne Glory looks like a fascinating player here for Gavin Cromwell, who has enjoyed his best season yet.
This six-year-old was mightily impressive in a maiden hurdle before a narrow defeat in novice company, and he should be improving again here back up in trip.
Selection: Champagne Glory
3.40 Punchestown - 2m3½f Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Hurdle (4yo+)
This looks like a cracking opportunity for American Mike, who has been plying his trade at a decent level over fences this season and he will be a major threat to all if he transfers all that ability back over timber.
Selection: American Mike
4.15 Punchestown - 3m Channor Real Estate Group Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) (4yo+)
Honesty Policy was an impressive Aintree winner when the Gordon Elliott team weren’t exactly flying, and he could be a tough nut to crack with a Grade 1 success already under his belt.
The yard are in much better shape now, so we can expect this prospect to take another step forward back on home turf, and the form of that race has a solid look to it.
Selection: Honesty Policy
4.50 Punchestown - 2m½f Race & Stay At Punchestown Champion INH Flat Race (Grade 1) (4-7yo)
This is very competitive despite just the seven runners and it may be worth taking on the likely favourite, Bambino Fever.
She was admittedly impressive when staying on strongly up the hill at Cheltenham last time out, but she was also positioned well by her jockey, Jody Townend, in a race in which most of her main rivals were ridden off the pace. There’s a suspicion that things may work out better for her stablemate Copacabanna this time around.
He was one of those out the back in the Champion Bumper, so he had a tough task from his position, but this small field looks sure to help this time, and he had previously been impressive when bolting up at Navan.
Selection: Copacabanna
5.30 Punchestown - 3m Channor Real Estate Group Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) (4yo+)
Galopin Des Champs has suffered defeat in this race before to Fastorslow, but that rival isn’t around this time and he’s on a different level to the three rivals he faces here.
In this small field, Paul Townend should be able to boss his rivals from the front and set the fractions he feels comfortable with, so his rivals will have to seriously step up to give the two-time Gold Cup winner anything to think about here.
Selection: Galopin Des Champs
6.05 Punchestown - 2m4½f Colm Quinn BMW Handicap Chase (Grade 3) (5yo+)
A competitive handicap, but Blue Lord could take some stopping from a mark of 151. He’s becoming dangerously well handicapped on form from not so long ago, and conditions are in his favour this time.
Selection: Blue Lord
6.35 Punchestown - 2m½f Weatherbys General Stud Book Irish EBF Mares INH Flat Race (Grade 3) (4-7yo)
Another bumper to close the show on Wednesday, with a chance taken on Good Girl Kathleen. The mare was placed in points and got her act together to win on rules debut for her new yard on this sort of ground at Limerick. The drop in trip shouldn’t be an issue and connections have a good strike-rate in bumpers.
Selection: Good Girl Kathleen