With Cheltenham and Aintree in the rearview mirror, we have the Guineas weekend to look forward to this week but we also have a fantastic week of jumps racing at the Punchestown Festival 2024 in Ireland. Here we look at some of the major races on Wednesday’s Punchestown card, where the feature race is the Punchestown Gold Cup as Galopin Des Champs and Fastorslow clash again.
3.40 Punchestown – Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Hurdle
Willie Mullins’ Mistergif contested Grade 1s at Cheltenham and Aintree this season and could prove to be a cut above his rivals but he’s a very skinny price. With that in mind, Jessica Harrington’s BEAU WALKING (3.40) could be worth an investment at a big price. Harrington has won this 2m3f race four times since 2015, a year when Walk To Freedom won the contest at 50/1, and although this six-year-old son of Walk In The Park has plenty to find, he might find improvement here.
Third behind subsequent Martin Pipe runner-up Waterford Whispers in a Galway maiden hurdle in October, he then finished third behind subsequent Albert Bartlett winner Stellar Story at Navan a month later. Beau Walking continues to run well behind good horses without threatening to strike, but better ground might bring out further improvement and he looks overpriced on all known form.
4.15 Punchestown – Channor Real Estate Group Novice Hurdle
Moving on to Grade 1 action where Albert Bartlett winner Stellar Story and third DANCING CITY (4.15) lock horns, but it’s the Willie Mullins runner who should gain revenge in the hands of Paul Townend.
The seven-year-old has really come into his own this season, landing Grade 1 spoils over 2m6f at the Dublin Racing Festival when beating Stellar Story well that day, before a below-par run when a disappointing third at Cheltenham when seemingly travelling well. Dancing City made up for that in style when running out an impressive winner at Aintree, and if he can carry that form into Punchestown he’s going to be very hard to beat.
4.50 Punchestown – Race & Stay At Punchestown Champion I.N.H. Flat Race
Jasmin De Vaux put in a stunning display when landing the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham in March, and he will take some stopping. However, there is some value in the price of his stablemate SOUNDS VICTORIUS (4.50), who should be a lot shorter in the betting. Narrowly touched off in a Leopardstown bumper in December, he got off the mark at this track when justifying favouritism in February in testing conditions, albeit workmanlike.
Sent off a 66/1 chance for the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham, he was shuffled back through the pack early, but ran on well up the hill to finish fourth and certainly ran with a lot of credit. The three horses who finished in front of him were held up and ridden with patience early so they probably went too hard up top. If he is given a more patient ride here, he should be involved in the finish.
Wednesday Racing Tips: Punchestown Festival 2024
Punchestown (3.40) – Beau Walking
Punchestown (4.15) – Dancing City
Punchestown (4.50) – Sounds Victorius
By Rob Eddy
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