2022 Punchestown Day 3 Preview and Tips – DS
2022 Punchestown Day 3 Preview and Tips
We fired three blanks at Punchestown on Day 2. Good Time Jonny started out the back and stayed there throughout. Tornado Flyer shaped like he was travelling into the race but the relentless pace set by Allaho had a negative effect on his jumping. Hopefully we can get back on the gravy train on Thursday. Check out Dave Stevos 2022 Punchestown Day 3 preview and tips below.
4.15 – Handicap Chase (Grade B)
A trappy affair to kick off the live action on RTE. I don’t think any of these can be fully discounted, including the rank outsider Ingleby Mackenzie. This horse is returning from a break and he has gone well fresh in the past. His last win came off 115 at Clonmel (16f gd) and that was after he had 167 days off. He is only 3lbs higher today and Mikey O’Connor takes off 5lbs. O’Connor was on board for this fella’s last win and he has also been placed on him.
Three starts ago at Sligo this fella was running a big race when falling at the last. Grange Walk won that contest off 117 and he re-opposes here off 141. Now, Ingleby Mackenzie would not have won if he stood up. However, he probably would have landed place money behind the easy winner. He was getting 5lbs from Grange Walk when his jockey’s claim is considered. Today, he will be getting 23lbs. De Bromhead’s horse is best on good ground and going right handed so at odds of 40/1, a small e/w interest is the order of the day.
2022 Punchestown Day 3 Tip: Ingleby Mackenzie e/w @ 40/1 (4 places) NB
4.50 – La Touche Cup X Country Chase (5yo+)
In a contest that is a good spectacle to watch but not usually a betting race, I can’t resist taking the 66/1 about King’s Song. David Broad trains this 12yo and he was pulled up in this race last season. However, he has run well over the X-Country track before, including when 4th behind Josie’s Orders in 2019 and when 5th in the Risk Of Thunder behind Yanworth a few months later.
With a rating of 95 he should have no chance but this race can sometimes throw up some strange results. He shaped nicely on his last three starts on decent ground and you’d imagine Broad has trained him for one last crack at this race. Obviously, he isn’t one for huge stakes but at 66/1, he could sneak a place.
2022 Punchestown Day 3 Tip: King’s Song e/w @ 66/1 (4 places)
5.25 – Champion Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
Klassical Dream is the 13/8 fav for this 24f Grade 1 heat. He has proved to be expensive to follow on his last two outings. He was beat at 1/3 at Gowran in January and he was then beaten favourite at Cheltenham. This is clearly a horse with a huge engine and he hacked up in this race last season. It wouldn’t be the biggest of surprises were he to do the same again but this looks a much stronger renewal.
Back on decent ground, I think Paisley Park can get back to winning ways. He beat Champ by 3.75L the last time he raced on good at Cheltenham in January and it was a superb effort by him in the big one at The Festival in March. He finished 2.75L ahead of Klassical Dream so I’m not sure why he is as big as 15/2. His career form figures on ground with good in the description read 21113P3331121 and if he runs to the level he did at Cheltenham, he will be hard to keep out of the frame at 15/2.
2022 Punchestown Day 3 Tip: Paisley Park e/w @ 15/2 NAP
6.00 – Handicap Hurdle (Grade B)
One at huge odds with place claims in this handicap hurdle is Bread And Butter. Trained by Helen Markham, this son of Westerner has found a new lease of life since moving from Gavin Cromwell’s. On his first start for his new yard he ran a massive race off 118 when beaten 2L here over 20f. In a much stronger race at Navan he then was beat just 0.5L by Futurum Regem off 119 on good to yielding. She was a neck behind Sassy Yet Classy (2nd) in receipt of 12lbs and she gets 11lbs from hm today.
Next up he ran another big race to finish 2nd here on heavy (20f) off 121 and then he finished 3rd in a pair of valuable handicaps at Navan (20f yld) and Cork (19f hvy). His mark is now 125 but with Aidan Kelly’s claim he is effectively 1lb lower than when going so close at Navan.
Bread And Butter has finished 2nd on three of his last four visits to Punchestown and this will be his first time getting decent ground at the track. The trip is a bit of an unknown and he faded on soft on his only start beyond 20f. However, on this ground he has a better chance of getting home and hopefully this consistent sort can sneak into the frame at 40/1.