Punchestown Picks

Tomorrow sees the start of the Punchestown festival, the last big meeting of the national hunt season where the creme de la creme of the sport will be on display. Tomorrow there will be three Grade 1 races, and there are a couple of runners that catch the eye and may well be overpriced.

Champion Chase
A quality renewal, with a case to be made for many of them. The two I like the most are Felix Yonger and Mallowney, with a slight prefernce for the latter. These two fought out a thrilling finish at Cork, with Felix prevailing by a nose, and I think it could well be a similar story tomorrow, except that I think Mallowney can reverse the form.
Champagne Fever will probably go off a short priced favourite, but has been too inconsistent this year for me. I fancied him to run a big race with conditions to suit at Aintree last time out, but he ran a lifeless race under an unusual ride from Ruby Walsh, who was far less aggressive than he usually is on the grey. I am hoping he goes out all guns blazing tomorrow, and ensures it is a truly run race. The quicker the pace the more it will suit Mallowney, who is a very strong traveller and also Felix Yonger, who will need every yard of the 2 miles to get his head in front as stamina is his strong suit. With Davy Russell back in the saddle on Mallowney (three wins and two 2nds from 5 rides) and back on decent ground I can see him lasting home and holding off the late surge from Felix Yonger. At a price Savello could be the one for third if he can brush up on his jumping. Hidden Cyclone is too error prone and reaching for blinkers at this stage of the game smacks of desperation to me.

Selection: 1.Mallowney (7/1) 2. Felix Yonger (8/1) 3. Savello 25/1

Handicap Hurdle
One horse stands out for me in this, and that is Henry De Bromhead's Sizing Codelco, currently priced up at 16/1. On the face of it this horse has probably been an underachiever during his short career, and he disappointed when sent chasing on his first three runs this season. I was at Punchestown the day he fell, and was impressed with his physique in the parade ring. He really is a fine stamp of a horse, and it is no surprise they tried to go down the chasing route with him.
He ran at the festival last year, the last time he encountered ground better than soft, and he ran probably the best race of his short career in finishing third behind Arctic Fire and Gassin Golf, two horses that have gone on to frank the form in no uncertain terms this season. Rock the World finished 5th, another that has gone on to better things this season.
 Sizing Codelco was given a couple of months off after Christmas, and made a very encouraging return in a handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse on ground that would have been plenty soft enough. That outing should have put him cherry ripe for this, and a repeat of last years run here will see him go very close. His mark of 135 could look very generous by dinner time tomorrow. A few quid each way at 16/1 and it'll hopefully be champagne and caviar on the menu!

Selection: Sizing Codelco 16/1  e/w