Recent entries in Horse Racing
Irish racing tips for Punchestown races
Tommy Lyons / 30 January 2010 Free Bet View Market
Racing returns to Punchestown on Sunday with a jam-paced eight race schedule
"In a straight match with both horses at the peak of their powers, I’d be with Big Zeb every time but he’s unlikely to want to get into a thorough test this time and Golden Silver is narrowly preferred to take advantage and land his hat-trick."
The Tied Cottage Chase is the feature of Sunday's Punchestown card and it sees the return of Big Zeb after a disappointing show behind Twist Magic in the Tingle Creek at Sandown. After a scintillating seasonal debut in which he treated the useful Made In Taipan with contempt followed on from an unlucky defeat at the hands of Master Minded on his final outing of last term, this promised to be the season in which Colm Murphy's horse finally came of age.
He travelled to Sandown under a weight of expectation but never travelled or jumped with the fluency required and trailed home a bitterly disappointing fourth. He's on a recovery mission here but the in-form Golden Silver will ensure he doesn't have it all his own way. On official figures Zeb is three pounds superior but that could be negated by the fact that this race probably means more to connections of Golden Silver.
Big Zeb looked set to overhaul eventual winner Mansony until tipping up two from home in last year's running of this race and suffered a similar fate when falling in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham on his subsequent outing. While there's a decent pot to be won here, I'm sure a confidence boosting effort is what connections will be looking for in advance of a return to Cheltenham.
In a straight match with both horses at the peak of their powers, I'd be with Big Zeb every time but he's unlikely to want to get into a thorough test this time and Golden Silver is narrowly preferred to take advantage and land his hat-trick.
The 19-runner Grand National Trial Handicap Chase doesn't appeal as the quickest route to making a million but Baily View is easily the most interesting runner. The seven-year-old was a faller in a Grade 2 Novices' Chase at Limerick on his penultimate outing but he got a nice confidence booster when third behind Will Jamie Run at Thurles last time out.
Trainer Mouse Morris has always viewed the Flemensfirth gelding as a likely type for the Irish National and, if this is to be his year, Baily View will have to put up a bold show here. This is his first handicap chase and he starts on a very handy looking mark of 123 (5lbs below his highest rating over hurdles).
That wouldn't be enough to guarantee him a place in the Irish National field so, if connections have designs on this year's renewal, he's going to have to make his way up the ratings and this could be an ideal opportunity to incur a suitable penalty.
He's never been beyond three miles before but has always raced like an out and out stayer and he should excel with this step up to three and a half miles. Rock Diplomat, proven over the trip, is another that looks attractively handicapped and should give a good account of himself.
In the Moscow Flyer Novices' Hurdle Saludos has a clear chance to reverse form with Leopardstown conqueror Hollo Ladies. The latter was in receipt of 3lbs when emerging a neck victor but he incurs a Grade 1 penalty which means a turnaround of 9lbs with his old rival. The runner-up ploughed a lone furrow on what could have been unfavoured ground along the rails that day but he looked to have all his rivals in trouble when kicking for home off the last bend.
Hollo Ladies showed fierce determination to get to the front but Saludos fought back equally tenaciously. Saludos could be deemed an unlucky loser and, on revised terms, is a confident selection to turn the tables.
In the two and a half miles handicap chase Seabass will be a short price to make up for throwing away a winning opportunity when falling at the last at Navan on Wednesday. However, this is a better race and it's hard to know how much that effort could have taken a bit of him. There could be value in opposing him with Stewarts House whose hurdling form suggested he'd be far better than a 115-rated chaser and, despite top weight, can show that here.
Selections:
1:30 - Golden Silver - 1pt win
2:00 - Stewarts House - 1pt win
2:00 - Seabass - 1pt Lay
2:30 - Baily View - 2pt win, 1pt place
3:00 - Saludos - 3pts win
