Third time is a charm for Punchestown today with a meeting that has been postponed twice, We are sticking to our guns with the selections from those days, augmented by one from Scotland…
The Daily Yankee
NAP OF THE DAY: NAP OF THE DAY: Cheb De Kerviniou, (1445 Punchestown), 1pt win, 7/1:
Conditions will be tough for this Punchestown marathon. That may suit Gordon Elliot’s recent French import Cheb De Kerviniou. He ran very well on Irish debut but we rightfully opposed him with Rocky’s Silver when Cheb was a disappointing 3rd next time. We are switching horses, partly price driven, partly ground driven, and when we see the supremely talented Rachel Blackmore riding off just 10st 5lb in a marathon race, well that’s too good a chance to resist.
Neverrushacon, (1345 Punchestown), 11/4: Previously top class Yanworth could be worth opposing at odds on. He was a bit unreliable in recent seasons and we’re not buying his renaissance in this cross country discipline. His win here in November could provide the form line though as Neverrushacon was narrowly beaten there and gets a handy 9lbs pull in the weights. Big outsider Ars Na Carraig could outrun his huge odds.
Dr Hooves, (1635 Musselburgh), 7/2: not the strongest staying chase and a good chance that in form top weight Dr Hooves can outclass the opposition. Probably the least exposed after just 9 career starts and only 2 over fences. Left a debut last of 4 well behind by springing a surprise here recently. Did well to get up late on in a close finish that day having looked beaten and that attitude puts him well ahead of most of these who have long been battered into routine submission.
Ask Mary, (1650 Punchestown), 5/1: most of these are stepping back from fences to hurdles, many off what look like appealing lower marks. That said, they have mostly earned those lower ratings through failure. Ask Mary is making that move, but she has decent hurdles form as recently as November, and she can go close if able to reproduce that against this weak opposition.
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