Tuesday’s best bets, by Chris Cook
Punchestown’s festival gets under way today and every race will be of some interest to committed jumps fans, even the opener, with its odd set of conditions. It is, of course, a kind of benefit week for Willie Mullins, whose Yorkhill and Vautour are long odds-on to bag their Grade Ones today. Vautour returns to two miles, which might not be his best trip any more, but there’s a good chance the front-running Special Tiara will set it up for him.
Mullins naturally has the favourite for the Grade One novice chase later on the card but Outlander is far from unbeatable and I quite fancy the 7-1 about Southfield Royale (6.40). From the Neil Mulholland yard that ended the season with a flourish with first and fifth in Saturday’s Bet365 Gold Cup, this six-year-old was not seen to best advantage when fourth in the four-miler at Cheltenham last month.
His stamina probably let him down after he raced freely out wide in the early stages and he may possibly have needed it on his first start for almost three months. The runner-up, Native River, had been behind Southfield Royale in the Feltham.
Paul Townend replaces Nina Carberry this time and I hope to see him go close, back at this more suitable three miles. I’m slightly concerned that Noel Fehily appears to have chosen Henryville over Southfield, however.
Mulholland could be in for a good day, as he has Hygrove Percy (3.55) at Bath, a newly gelded chestnut that had three maiden runs for Marcus Tregoning last year, showing promise under a 7lb claimer over this course and distance in October. He might need further than this but he seems to be on a fair mark and is 20-1.
Earlier on the card, Knight Of The Air (2.10) is 11-2 to repeat his course and distance win from September, when he was only 5lb lower. Mick Channon’s runner stayed on well without quite getting into the argument on his Brighton reappearance last week.
Tipping competition, day two
Our winners so far:
Monday
Funding Deficit 7-1
Fort Del Oro 13-8
Weetles 3-1
And our leaders are:
cerises +9
Nightwing1 +9
Onion_Terror +9
… who all paired Funding Deficit with Weetles. Melonk (+7.63) had Funding Deficit and Fort Del Oro.
Today, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 4.40 Brighton, 4.45 Nottingham, 6.40 Punchestown.
This week’s prize is a belter. It’s a copy of Timeform’s latest annual, Racehorses of 2015, a 1,000-page brick reviewing every horse trained in Britain that ran last year, with extended essays on the best of them, lavishly illustrated with photos and sure to be an item for any racing fan to treasure. If you don’t win, you can buy it here … for £79!
As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers. If you have not joined in so far this week, you are welcome to do so today but you will start on -3.
In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day.
For terms and conditions click here.
Good luck!
And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
