It’s finally happening. After years of ‘will he won’t he run’ at the Punchestown Festival, Constitution Hill will finally step foot on an Irish racecourse for the first time in his career.
Before we see Constitution Hills clash against State Man, we have a stacked card to get through on day four of the Punchestown Festival.
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Punchestown 3:40 Stanley Asphalt Hunters Chase for the Bishopscourt Cup – 2m4½f (5yo+)
The Bishopscourt Cup, the traditional curtain raiser on Champion Hurdle Day, is as competitive as ever, and having this race at the Punchestown Festival gives a chance for the smaller operations to have their day in the sun on a big stage.
Fountain House has been in terrific form this season, winning six of his seven starts. He will be tough to beat if he keeps his progressive form going back on a racecourse. The one I will be siding with, and the one who I feel will show much more than when turned over a short odds at Tramore, is GALE FORCE JET.
The same connections took last season’s renewal with Private Ryan, and will have another outstanding chance of going back-to-back with Gale Force Jet here. For all that he didn’t take to the undulations and tightness of Tramore, he was still only beaten just over one length. First-time cheekpieces are called upon today, and combined with the return to a galloping track, expect to see a much better display here today from Gale Force Jet.
Selection: Gale Force JetDanger: Fountain House
Bet on Gale Force Jet for the Stanley Asphalt Hunters Chase for the Bishopscourt Cup with Midnite
Punchestown 4:15 Event Power Champion Hunters Chase – 3m½f (5yo+)
Another good renewal of the Hunters Chase with Hollow Games, Willitgoahead, and the progressive Big Intrest all taking their chances. But even with them lining up, it’s hard to see past ITS ON THE LINE not winning this for the third year in a row.
He was out of luck in the Foxhunters at the Cheltenham Festival again this year, where he found one too good again. But just like last season, he can gain redemption here. Its On The Line is a horse that comes alive in the spring, and I would be disappointed if he could get back to winning ways today.
Out of the others mentioned above, Big Interest should prove to be the biggest danger to Its On The Line.
Selection: Its On The LineDanger: Big Interest
Bet on Its On The Line for the Event Power Champion Hunters Chase with SBK
Punchestown 4:50 Grade 2 Hanlon Concrete Irish EBF Glencarraig Lady Francis Flood Mares Chase – 2m4½f (5yo+)
To the naked eye, this year’s renewal of the Grade 2 Mares Chase looks very competitive. But this could easily be taken apart by the Cheltenham Festival winner DINOBLUE.
She was getting the better of Allegorie De Vassy before her stablemate came down at the last. That was the second race in a row where Allegorie De Vassy found Dinoblue too good for her, and it’s hard to see her finishing in front of her today. Shecouldbeanything has a lot to find with the selection on their Cheltenham Festival clash, but she has since finished a respectable seventh in the Irish Grand National. But the one to look out for if the applications of first-time cheekpieces have the desired is Brides Hill
Selection: Dinoblue 8/15Danger: Brides Hill 8/1Current Betting: Dinoblue 8/15, Allegorie De Vassy 3/1, Brides Hill 8/1, Shecouldbeanything 18/1, Broomfield Bijou 28/1, Must Be Obeyed 33/1.
Bet on Dinoblue for the Grade 2 Hanlon Concrete Irish EBF Glencarraig Lady Francis Flood Mares Chase with talkSPORT BET
Punchestown 5:25 Listed QuinnBet Novice Handicap Chase – 2m4½f (5yo+)
Another great betting race here, and there is one that I have been keeping a close eye on all season, and one that I am convinced is so much better than we have seen so far from him over fences, and that is LISNAGAR FORTUNE.
He hasn’t hit the heights that would have been expected of him over fences, and that is down to a bad mistake each time. But, now that he tackles a handicap for the first time off a mark 125, the handicapper could have left him in lightly here. Of course, he needs to brush up on his jumping, but back on a track where he is two from two, there is more than a slight hope that he can leave all previous form well behind him and if he can put in a clear round, Lisnagar Fortune looks weighted to go very close.
Others to note are Nara, Blizzard Of Oz, and recent Cheltenham winner Theatre Native.
Selection: Lisnagar FortuneDanger: Theatre Native
Bet on Lisnargar Fortune for the Listed QuinnBet Novice Handicap Chase with bet365
Punchestown 6:05 Grade 1 Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle – 2m4½f (4yo+)
The Turners Novices’ Hurdle 2nd and 3rd meet again here, and they should serve up a crack for the packed Punchestown stands. But even so, a few interesting horses line up to take them on. Tripoli Flyer should be forgiven his run at the Aintree Grand National Festival, and now back on a right-handed track, you can expect a much better showing here, but the only worry is the ground being on the quick side for him.
Lovely Hurling is a horse who is on a rapid rise after a facile win over next time-out winners Autoportrait and Jump Allen. At his current price, I would not put anyone off siding with him each way, but he needs to take another big step forward to get the better of THE YELLOW CLAY.
I haven’t hidden away this season how much I adore The Yellow Clay. He only went down narrowly to another top-class prospect in The New Lion at Cheltenham. He has had plenty of time to get over that run, and given that he will have no issue with the underfoot conditions, I would be disappointed if he could not confirm Cheltenham placings with Final Demand.
Selection: The Yellow Clay 13/8Danger: Lovely Hurdling 12/1 (e/w)Current Betting: The Yellow Clay 13/8, Final Demand 15/8, Funiculi Funicula 10/1, Lovely Hurling 12/1, Tripoli Flyer 12/1, Queensbury Boy 14/1, 16/1 bar.
Bet on The Yellow Clay for the Grade 1 Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle with Paddy Power
Punchestown 6:40 Grade 1 Boodles Champion Hurdle – 2m (4yo+)
The clash of the former Champion Hurdlers is not only the clash of the day but arguably the clash of the week. State Man, who had the Champion Hurdle in the palm of his hand only to come down at the back of the last, leaving Golden Ace to take full advantage of his fall record, and famous win for her connections. Although she is the Champion Hurdler, she will need similar luck here to back up that win.
Cheekpieces gave State Man a new lease of life at Cheltenham, but they will need to have the same effect here if he is to win. And as much as I have been against him for most of his career, CONSTITUTION HILL can get back to winning ways if he can avoid a third fall in a row. This former Champion Hurdler and Nicky Henderson stable star is on a retrieval mission after two identical falls at Cheltenham and Aintree, but with a clear round, he can get back to winning ways here.
Selection: Constitution Hill 6/5Danger: State Man 13/8Current Betting: Constitution Hill 6/5, State Man 13/8, Golden Ace 9/1, Kargese 14/1, Break My Soul 100/1, Bottler’secret 150/1
Bet on Constitution Hill for the Grade 1 Boodles Champion Hurdle with Betfred
Punchestown 7:10 Uniquely Novice Hurdle – 2m (4yo+)
There are many lightly raced and unexposed types here, which leave many open for a lot of improvement. Zoffman is highly rated on the flat and got off the mark at the second time of asking, keeping on well to win at Naas. With that win under his belt, he can take another step forward today, and the same can be said for a few others here. But the one who I will take a chance with is KHRISMA.
She had her first run for Nicky Henderson at Windsor in January, where she finished 3rd, beaten just over two lengths by the talented and now listed hurdle winner, Jubilee Alpha. That run was on the back of 421 days off the track, so she is entitled to come on quite a bit for that run. Given that she went so close on her comeback, there is no knowing how much more she can unlock going forward, and Nicky Henderson would not be bringing her over here if she didn’t have a realistic chance of going close.
Naturally, Nimble and Runcok are others who can step forward again and fight out the finish.
Selection: KhrismaDanger: Naturally Nimble
Bet on Khrisma for the Uniquely Novice Hurdle with SBK
Punchestown 7:40 Overlander INH Flat Race – 2m3f (5-7yo)
Another tough finish to close out day four of the Punchestown Festival in what is a competitive bumper. Conman John makes the trip over from Scotland, and given that he was well-backed for his racecourse debut, connections would be forgiven for expecting a lot more at Newcastle. That experience should stand to him, and further improvement can make this trip worthwhile. But the one who looks the most interesting is the Willie Mullins-trained KING RASKO GREY.
He was last seen at the meeting last season when finishing 4th in the Goffs Defender Bumper. That bumper was just over 2m, and based on what I saw when watching the race back, this step-up in trip should be right up King Rasko Grey’s street. He should give connections, and Jody Townend another Punchestown Festival winner.
Selection: King Rasko GreyDanger: Conman John
Bet on King Rasko Grey for the Overlander INH Flat Race with Tote
About the author
Andrew Halligan
My name is Andrew Halligan, horse racing pundit and founder of YouTube’s The Finishing Line Podcast. Horse racing is a thrilling spectacle that captivates audiences around the world with its blend of drama and excitement. Whether you’re a jumps or flat fan, I will use my experience of working within the horse racing industry to bring the best of what this sport has to offer.
You can follow Andrew on X (@Halligan88).
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