Jane Mangan’s William Hill Blog: Making a Tactical Move at Punchestown

We’re three days down and two to go for this year’s Punchestown Festival, where to start?

I’m going to begin with the Mares’ Chase (4.50pm), where I am with Brides Hill for Gavin Cromwell, who won the Mares’ Chase at Cheltenham with Limerick Lace and who, I think, can do the same here with the selection. My main reasoning for this is that I think she is best at 2m4f and Allegorie De Vassy, her main rival, is best at two miles. There are four pounds between them on official ratings, but Brides Hill receives two and I think that the conditions of the race, the trip and the fact that the selection is in the form of her life after winning her last three starts could all add up to her winning four in a row here.

The 4.15pm is a race which is usually won by Grade One horses who are in a handicap but improving. For instance, Willie Mullins has won the last five renewals of the race with Kemboy, Real Steel, Asterion Forlonge, El Barra and Kilcuit; three of those are Grade One horses. With that in mind, I’m with Tactical Move here. Paul Townend has opted for Mister Policeman, but Tactical Move’s run in the WillowWarm behind Spillane’s Tower and ahead of Blood Destiny left me with the impression that he could fit the profile of a horse who could still be up to Grade One level. Yes, he’s a 10-year-old, but he’s extremely lightly raced and Danny Mullins has had a fantastic year. He could be on the right horse once again here in Tactical Move.

The 7.05pm is a very interesting race and has a big field of 15 runners. I like Lark In The Mornin; I’ve always liked this horse with the prospect of him improving a lot for better ground. He still managed to win the Fred Winter on heavy, but I’m convinced that he will be better on a sounder surface. Joseph O’Brien and JJ Slevin have already landed the Champion Chase at Punchestown this week with Banbridge, and I think they can add to their tally in this race with Lark In The Mornin.

Neither Ballyburn nor State Man are betting prospects, but they might be ones to tie together, because State Man is by far and away the best two-mile hurdler around this season (Constitution Hill hasn’t been around much!) and Ballyburn is the best novice hurdler we’ve seen all year. I wouldn’t suggest that anyone should take them on the nose, but if you want to pair them up, I cannot see past this pair.

It may not have the Cheltenham Champion Hunter in the mix, but the Hunters’ Chase (5.25pm) does have the Aintree Champion with Its On The Line. I think we could have someone else throwing their hat in the ring, though, with Lifetime Ambition for Susie and Pat Doyle, the father and daughter combination. Lifetime Ambition was a high-class handicap chaser for Jessica Harrington last year and he’s taken well to pointing, having won three point-to-points and one hunters’ chase since unseating his rider in last year’s Grand National. He’s a horse that likes summer ground and I think he may still be high class in this division, given he’s only a nine-year-old. Pat Doyle is a top-drawer trainer in his own right and is the master of point-to-points, while Susie is a very good rider.