2024 Punchestown Festival Wednesday Preview – DS
2024 Punchestown Festival Wednesday Preview
Overall it was a disappointing day on Tuesday. Asian Master chased a crazy gallop and faded. Kings Hill did the same but thankfully, he held on for a place. Maskada ran a blinder to finish fourth, if the ground had been as soft as I anticipated she would have placed. Sandor Clegane ran respectably but could only manage fourth. We go again on Day 2, check out Dave Stevos’ 2024 Punchestown Festival Wednesday tips below.
2.30 – Adare Manor Series Final Handicap Hurdle (95-123)
I’m going to take a chance on the rank outsider here. Ballywilliam Boy has plenty of good form in the book but he hasn’t shown much since returning from a mammoth absence this season. In February 2022, the last time he had half decent ground, he ran a lovely race to finish 6th of 24 in a valuable handicap at the Dublin Racing Festival. That effort came off 131, with Jack Gilligan’s claim he’s effectively 15lbs lower today.
This season, Micheal Hourigan’s charge has run four times, all on testing ground. His two career best efforts came on yielding at Leopardstown and Navan off 131 and he has won at today’s trip going right handed at Galway.
Trip To Suit
Ballywilliam Boy ran alright in a 24f handicap at this meeting in 2021. He shaped well before weakening late on and this trip should suit him better. Jack Gilligan had a sighter on him at Fairyhouse in December and he didn’t shape badly that day, finishing 10th of 20.
Maybe he’s a lost cause, but it could also be that he needs this ground and if he does retain even 80% of his old ability, he could be very well handicapped. With odds of 80/1 available, it is worth taking a small chance that these conditions bring about an improved performance.
2024 Punchestown Festival Wednesday Tip: Ballywilliam Boy e/w @ 80/1 (6 places)
4.15 – Channor Group Novice Hurdle (Grade 1)
Dancing City and Albert Bartlett winner Stellar Story head the market for this 24f Grade 1. The bookies narrowly make the former horse favourite on the back of his impressive win at Aintree three weeks ago. Dancing City also ran in the Albert Bartlett and he trailed in 7.75L behind Stellar Story. However, this ground should suit much better than the heavy conditions at Cheltenham and he could well reverse that form.
Better Days Ahead is a mudlark so the ground has to be a concern for him too. One that might improve for the quicker conditions is An Tobar. Blackmore and De Bromhead team up with this son of Gentlewave and so far, the 7yo has only ever raced on soft/heavy under rules. He won his maiden at Fairyhouse on heavy back in November and he followed that up with a fine effort in the Royal Bond.
Fresh
Since then, he has disappointed in a Naas G1 and a Listed Leopardstown handicap, both on soft ground. De Bromhead decided to swerve Cheltenham and Aintree so An Tobar should be fresher than most.
He is a half to two winners on good to soft ground, his dam is a full sister to two good ground winners and his sire Gentlewave has produced plenty of strong stayers so this step up in trip might suit too. At odds of 25/1, An Tobar is worth chancing e/w for small stakes.
2024 Punchestown Festival Wednesday Tip: An Tobar e/w @ 25/1
5.25 – Punchestown Gold Cup (Grade 1)
A superb renewal of this valuable race. The first and third from the Cheltenham Gold Cup renew rivalries and if they are in the same form, it is hard to see Corach Rambler reversing that 13L defeat to Galopin Des Champs. Willie Mullins’ charge is the top dog in this division but will this be a race too far? It was last year.
Fastorslow took the scalp of Galopin Des Champs in this race in 2023 and he’s around 10/3 to repeat the dose against the 8/11 fav. This ground will suit a lot better than the soft ground they ran on at Cheltenham and if the fav does fluff his lines, Martin Brassil’s charge could be the one to benefit.
Ground Key
However, the e/w value could lie with Hewick here. He had a pipe opener over timber at Aintree, his first run since his spectacular win in the King George (24f gd). Surprisingly, Shark Hanlon’s stable star has yet to run at Punchestown but he does have some top class form going right handed. His form figures over fences going to the right on ground with good in the description at 24f+ read 121 and he also won the Galway Plate over 22f going right handed on nice ground.
Hanlon’s sole runner on Day 1 ran a blinder, which is encouraging, and while Hewick has to improve to get close to Galopin Des Champs, he is rated only a pound lower than Fastorslow. The addition of first time blinkers is an interesting move, they replace his usual cheekpieces.
He got well behind in the King George before staying on late, maybe the new headgear will help him to concentrate better and stay in touch early. Conditions look absolutely perfect for the son of Virtual and with odds of 16/1 available, he has to be worth backing e/w.
2024 Punchestown Festival Wednesday Tip: Hewick e/w @ 16/1 nap
6.00 – HSS Hire Handicap Chase (Grade 3)
This is a really tricky handicap chase. A trip of 20f awaits the field of 17 and the only outsider I can make half a case for is the rag, Embittered. Trained by Gordon Elliott, this 10yo son of Fame And Glory has lost his way since scoring at Navan under Carl Millar back in December (20f hvy). That win came off 137 and he is just 4lbs higher here.
While it was heavy for that Navan win, three of his five victories have come on ground with good in the description. This will be his first run on nice ground this season and I’m hoping that, and the return to Punchestown, might spark him back to form.
Course Form
Embittered has run here six times before and won twice, a bumper and a G3 Novice Chase (18.5f gd). He ran a stinker in this race back in 2021 but he was still a novice and he lacked experience. Overall, his Punchestown form figures read 140133.
The last third came in a 16f handicap back in May 2022 on good ground. Racing off 139, he was beat just under 4L into third and with Millar’s 7lb claim, he is effectively 5lbs lower here. He ran better than the bare result last time at Aintree (got tired late on the ground), hopefully he might finish more strongly on this sounder surface. At odds of 66/1, Embittered is a speculative e/w selection.
