Theatre Can Take Centre Stage At Punchestown

City Supreme landed a nice each way touch for us earlier, returning at 12/1 and coming home in 4th (adv 20/1). He really appreciated the better ground at Doncaster and the first time hood sharpened up his jumping. It was his first run in quite a while so he should come on for it, and kept to better ground he could be one to follow in the Spring.

Tomorrow at Punchestown there are a few decent types on show and the match up between Felix Yonger and Flemenstar will be worth watching. However, the one I like goes in the 2.30, a 3m handicap hurdle, and Fine Theatre looks a very interesting contender off a mark of just 122. He won his maiden hurdle this time last year at Fairyhouse (20f heavy) and his trainer threw him into a Grade 2 on his next start, which illustrates the high regard this horse is held in.

He was well beaten in that race, but he was put away afterwards and wasn't seen again until November, when he was pulled up on his seasonal reappearance at Navan (23f soft). His last run, over 24f at Fairyhouse off 123, saw him run a much  more encouraging race to finish 4th, and he was well backed too. The Nolan yard was under a bit of a cloud then, but he has been in much better form the last couple of weeks and he has 2 winners and a 3rd from his last 7 runners.

He is a half brother to two very useful soft ground stayers in Joncol and Fine Article, so the 24f on soft ground tomorrow should be right up his street. He is by far the least exposed horse in the field, and with his yard in good form and Paul Townend booked he is a confident each way selection in a wide open handicap hurdle.

STEVOS' SELECTION: 2.30 PUNCHESTOWN FINE THEATRE E/W 11/1