Pakman Looks Primed For Big Run At Punchestown

It was another disappointment for the blog today with Sahraaj, and it really is frustrating to have two in a row finishing just out of the money in 4th. He was given a great ride by Danny Sheehy and he got a dream run up the inside. Unfortunately, they didn't go as quick as I had hoped up front, and they just didn't come back to him. There is definitely another race in the son of Zebedee, and his turn is surely not far away.

Heavy ground is a worry for Western Cape.

Our ante-post selection has been declared for tomorrow, but I am very worried about the ground. It deteriorated badly today and, though Western Cape has form on soft, I am not sure he will relish heavy. However, he is definitely going to take his chance and hopefully he gives us a good run for our money at 25/1.

Another one I am interested in tomorrow goes at Punchestown, and I think Pakman is criminally overpriced in the 2.10. Regular readers of the blog will be familiar with this fella, as he landed each way money for us on a couple of occasions last season. He has had a couple of spins on the flat under his belt, and he should be at peak fitness for his return to hurdling tomorrow.

This 8yo son of Indian Haven remains a maiden after 14 runs under rules, but he has definitely shown that he has enough ability to win a race. He first caught my eye in a maiden at Fairyhouse (16f hvy) on his first run back from a break last November, running a cracker to finish 3rd at odds of 100/1. He was kept to maiden company for his next 3 starts, and he ran well again in 2 of those on heavy ground, when 4th at Punchestown (16f hvy) and 3rd at Thurles (16f hvy).

He was handed a mark of 112 for his handicap debut at Fairyhouse (16f yld) and he ran a huge race at 16/1 to finish 3rd behind the well backed Dollar and A Dream. He was just over 3L behind the winner, who subsequently went close off 7lb higher at Galway. He was 2nd in another maiden at Limerick next time out (19f hvy), before returning to handicap company back at Punchestown.

He was an excellent 3rd of 25 in that 16f (yld) race off 113, 4L behind the winner Elusive Ivy. His final run of last season was poor, but he was likely over the top after a long, hard season. He reappeared in a couple of flat races last month, and you would imagine the purpose of those runs was to get him fit for this race. His trainer, Adrian Murray, is one of the shrewdest operators in town, and I think Pakman is more than capable of outrunning his odds of 25/1 with track, trip and ground all sure to suit.

STEVOS' SELECTION: 2.10 PUNCHESTOWN: PAKMAN E/W 25/1