The bookies had a field day at Punchestown on Thursday with winners returned at 25-1 (twice), 20-1 (twice), 14-1, 10-1, 8-1 and 5-1. I don’t think even Mystic Meg will have had Jetson doubled up with God’s Own in the two Group 1 races!
Nothing if not game, we battle on into Friday’s card with Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh looking to hold a strong hand once again. The feature race is the Champion Hurdle which sadly has attracted just three runners. You do sometimes wonder what goes through trainer’s minds. There must be a hundred horses that ran at Cheltenham or Aintree that could have been guaranteed third place here at the very least.
The race sees a re-match between Cheltenham winner Jezki and the beaten favourite Hurricane Fly. He was only fourth at the festival with most pundits happy to assume that age is catching up with the horse. Now aged ten, he was bidding to become the oldest winning Champion Hurdler since Sea Pigeon but found disappointingly little in the straight.
Ruby Walsh was reluctant to accept the form on face value and it is worth remembering that he had beaten Jezki twice prior to Cheltenham. This has surely got to come down to a tactical battle and Hurricane Fly has proved time and again that he can win off any pace.
You won’t get rich by backing Vautour in the Champion Novices’ Hurdle but he looks impossible to oppose. He has a very similar profile to Faugheen who romped home earlier in the week and should see off his rivals tomorrow. It is curious that Mullins elected to drop Faugheen back to two miles and step Vautour up to two and a half, the exact opposite to their Cheltenham victories. Lac Fontana looked as tough as old boots when winning at Aintree but will need Vautour to have an off day to get near him.
Arctic Fire can complete the Mullins-Walsh treble in the following novice hurdle. He looked set to win the County Hurdle at the festival but was just run out of it by Lac Fontana. He was well backed that day and looked to have done everything right. The only doubt must be whether he will have recovered from such a hard race but he stands out on form.
If the bookies were partying on Thursday night, they could be crying into their beer by the time Warne lines up against On The Fringe in the last. I was impressed with Warne at Aintree and the win was never in doubt from half-way.
Hurricane Fly 5.30 at 11-10 Paddy Power
Vautour 6.05 at 2-5 William Hill
Arctic Fire 6.40 at 4-5 Bet365
Warne 7.45 at 9-4 Bet365
Betfair:
Bet on Henrik Stenson to become the BMW PGA Championship Winner.
Paddypower:
Back Australia to take the Ashes home with them.
Betway:
Back Rafael Nadal to become the Mens French Open Winner.
Coral:
Back One For Arthur to win the Grand National.
Bet365:
Back Mexico to win the Confederations Cup.
