Gavin Cromwell
Gavin Cromwell’s William Hill blog: Punchestown Tuesday & Wednesday preview
William Hill ambassador Gavin Cromwell previews his runners on the first two days of the Punchestown Festival, including Inothewayurthinkin in the Punchestown Gold Cup.
Punchestown, Tuesday
We kick off our Punchestown Festival with just two runners on Tuesday, both in the bumper (17:25).
Bacharach is a nice compact horse with a lovely pedigree. He should be staying on well in the finish and hopefully he won’t be far away.
Whispered Verdict is another nice horse, and he’s got a good German Flat pedigree. He’s a big, tall horse with plenty of pace, but it’s a bit unknown whether he’ll stay the trip. I’m hoping he’ll stick it out on the nicer ground and run a good race.
Punchestown, Wednesday
We start off Tuesday with three two-and-a-half-mile hurdle races, the first being a handicap (14:30) where we run Kamino Bello. He’s been freshened up and we’re happy with his work. He’ll like the nicer ground but whether he’s handicapped to win, I’m not sure. He’s definitely up to running well.
Next, we have Simply Natural in the auction race (15:05) and the penalty structure here, with her being a nice, cheap purchase and getting the mares’ allowance, means she’s in off a nice light weight. She’s coming into the race off the back of a very good run, she’s in good form and I fancy her to run well.
Then we run Begorra Man in what is a winners-of-one race. He’s only had two maiden hurdle runs so he hasn’t qualified for handicaps yet, and he finished second the last day. He’s a horse we’ve always thought plenty of even though he hasn’t won a race, but he’s been keeping good company.
It’s a strong race but I think he’s up to running well here. He’s a chaser in the making and whatever he can do over hurdles will be a bonus.
Our first Grade 1 runner of the week is The Passing Wife in the three-mile novice hurdle (16:15). He’s in great form and he worked very well last week. He’s very versatile ground-wise so that will be fine. I’m very happy with him and I’m hoping he can win. I’d say he’s probably our best chance of a winner over the first two days.
Boycetown is another who ran a big race at Cheltenham and he goes in the Champion Bumper here (16:50). He was beaten by The Mourne Rambler in Cheltenham, and he’ll be hard to overturn here after what was a very good performance. Hopefully we’ll make him work for it. Boycetown is in good form at home, he worked well last week and we’re looking forward to it.
In the Grade 3 handicap chase we run Midnight It Is (17:25). He is in good form, but he’s not getting any younger and he’ll have to improve plenty from what he’s been doing this season to win this race.
He steps up in trip here because I just don’t think he’s quick enough for two miles nowadays, particularly on better ground. At a price, I’d say he’s an each-way chance.
We’re taking on five Willie Mullins runners in the Punchestown Gold Cup (18:05) with Inothewayurthinkin. He was much better in the Cheltenham Gold Cup than he had been all season, even though he didn’t travel at all through the first half of the race.
We were happy with him going into Cheltenham, but I’m even happier with him now. He’s been in better form over the past few weeks. I think going right-handed will be a positive for him as he was jumping out to his right in Cheltenham. I’d say his poor form in Punchestown is more down to the fact he’s never raced over his ideal trip there and I wouldn’t see the track being an issue.
It’s a small field so he shouldn’t be too far off the pace. It’s going to be a difficult test up against Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File, and the big thing will be him keeping his position in the first half of the race and not getting detached. They’ll go a right good gallop on the better ground and hopefully he’ll stick close enough to them and stay on well in the finish.
We finish off Wednesday with two in the Grade 3 mares’ bumper (18:35). Coole Cafe is a four-year-old in against the older mares here, but I think she’ll run well. The good ground won’t be a problem for her because she’s got a lot of pace.
Belladaball was very good the last day, winning a Listed bumper in Fairyhouse. She’s come out of that well and hopefully she can run well here and pick up some more black type.
