2024 Punchestown Sunday Preview & Tips – DS
2024 Punchestown Sunday Tips
Goshen ran ok at Wincanton but he was well behind the first two. Ostend travelled and jumped well for a long way, he’s a horse to keep an eye on. Our e/w NB Rapper returned to form and landed the place money for us at 25s. Highland Hunter ran a lovely race too, hanging on for fourth and landing our e/w NAP at 18s. We have another Grand National trial tomorrow, check out Dave Stevos’ 2024 Punchestown Sunday preview & tips below.
2.35 – Grand National Trial Handicap Chase (Listed)
Nothing is leaping off the page in the first two races so we’ll start with the best betting race of the day. A field of 16 are due to go to post for this 29f Grand National Trial and on the forecast heavy ground, it’ll be a grueller.
The one I am siding with in this stamina test is the Tom Gibney trained Regina Dracones. Like a few of our bets recently, this mare can put in the odd shocker of a jump. Her form figures last season were more alphabetical than numerical but to be fair to her, she has mostly completed when running on right handed tracks. Going left handed, she has fallen in four of eight attempts.
Right Handed
Yes, she has pulled up a couple of times going right handed but when she has had heavy ground going that way round, she has form figures of 138. On soft to heavy they read 5116. Now, it must be said that those couple of times she was pulled up came at Punchestown but those races were over 31f on good ground.
She has placed here over shorter over timber on soft and she is on a fair mark. In March 2022 she was second behind her then stablemate Velvet Elvis at Navan (24f sft) in a valuable novice handicap chase off 124. She was only beat 7L off 122 in the Porterstown in December at Fairyhouse (29.5f sft) behind Street Value and she is 8lbs better off with him now.
He is 14/1 here and Regina Dracones is 33/1. Sean Flanagan will be brimming with confidence after his Saturday exploits and if any jockey can get this mare into a nice jumping rhythm, he could be the man. If he can conjure up a clear round, Regina Dracones could outrun her odds of 33/1.
2024 Punchestown Sunday tips: Regina Dracones e/w @ 33/1 (5 places)
3.05 – Sheila Bourke Novice Hurdle (Listed)
This is a pretty decent Listed hurdle for the Novices. Eddie O’Grady’s No Flies On Him is just 16s for the Supreme and 25s for the Baring Bingham and he is the 13/8 favourite today. He beat a subsequent G1 winner in his 20f PTP in Jango Baie and he won a very strong Leopardstown maiden with quite a bit up his sleeve.
Last year’s Irish Champion Bumper runner up Tullyhill is also entered in the Supreme, for which he is a 20/1 poke. He was impressive in a Naas maiden last month but the form has not worked out. On that occasion he made all but so did Boldog last time out at Tramore when he landed a maiden hurdle over 17f on bad ground.
Jigoro Entered Up
He doesn’t hold any entries for the festival so maybe connections have something else in mind for him in the Spring. Jigoro, on the other hand, is in the Baring and the Supreme. He’s huge odds for both those races and he is 7/1 today. He’s another one that likes to be up with the pace early so this could end up being a race where stamina comes to the fore on this heavy ground.
If they do go off quick, it could pay to sit and wait and try to pick up the pieces late. That’s what Micheal O’Sullivan did on Westport Cove last time at Clonmel on heavy ground and he almost pulled it off. Now, the strength of that form is up for debate but at least he showed that he could settle and that he has a bit of tactical versatility.
His two poorest runs came on his only starts on left handed tracks (0P), whereas he has form figures of 112 when going the other way round. So, theoretically, Punchestown should suit. No Flies On Him should win this but with three places on offer, hopefully Westport Cove can sneak into the money at odds of 12/1.
2024 Punchestown Sunday tips: Westport Cove e/w @ 12/1 NB
4.10 – Novice Handicap Hurdle (0-116)
An extremely tricky puzzle. A few interesting handicap debutants catch the eye but I have come down on Power Hour. This horse showed plenty of potential in maidens last year, placing twice at Tramore and Clonmel at 19f/20f. On his seasonal return he ran 4th of 17 in another Clonmel (19f hvy) maiden behind Farren Glory.
On his next start M A Gunn stepped his son of Ocovango up into handicap company at Leopardstown for the first time (20f hvy). Running off 109 under Jake Coen, he travelled nicely, got a bit outpaced as they turned for home and then ran on well after the second last to finish fourth, 8L behind the winner Music Of Tara.
It was a really encouraging run and the way he shaped suggested that this sort of trip would suit. He’s bred along similar lines to Inis Oirr, by the same sire and out of a Saddler’s Hall mare so hopefully, this trip is going to bring out the best in him. There’s a bit of 12/1 available about Power Hour and he is the e/w selection.
