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Trifolium very much the one to beat

My first day at Punchestown doesn’t promise a whole lot and things can only get better as the week progresses.

I have just three rides and certainly none of them could be described as a stand-out.

I think Ceol Rua, in a two mile handicap hurdle, is probably the best of them.

But this is a 25-runner seriously competitive affair and I cannot be any more than hopeful. Willie Mullins runs three in the race and I came down on the side of Ceol Rua.

I thought she’d win at Fairyhouse last time, but there’s no denying she was a bit disappointing. But that race took place on the Sunday — remember it poured rain on the Monday for the National, and the surface was just too quick for her.

The ground will be much more testing here and she will love it. I believe Ceol Rua will at least be far from disgraced.

Willie also has Ballyhaunis, but I discarded him on the basis he’s been off for 405 days, while his Maggie Connolly wants a good bit further than this trip.

The first of three Grade 1’s is the Champion Novice Hurdle and I’m on Midnight Game. He’s owned by Gigginstown and Davy Russell could have ridden him.

Davy however, has gone with Gigginstown’s other runner, Trifolium, and I’d say it took him about a second to make up his mind.

Midnight Game has been very disappointing of late. He boiled over at Cheltenham and then faded rather tamely at Fairyhouse.

Willie trains Midnight Game and also runs Laganbank and Simenon. Laganbank definitely needs better ground and Simenon made no show whatsoever at Cheltenham.

Realistically, this is a match between Trifolium and Alderwood. Trifolium easily beat Simenon at Punchestown and then ran a cracker when third in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Alderwood has a most progressive profile and has really good efforts to his credit of late, winning the County Hurdle at Cheltenham and then coming home to score again at Fairyhouse. I think Trifolium is the most likely winner.

Mouse Morris has given me the nod to team up with China Rock, against Sizing Europe, in the Champion Chase.

I’ve only ridden the horse twice and won on him both times, firstly at Gowran Park and then here in October of 2010.

That day at Punchestown, we beat Sizing Europe into second spot by seven lengths. I’m not under any illusions the feat will be repeated.

China Rock is a grand ride to get and has been running well enough over longer trips. It won’t surprise me should he manage to beat Big Zeb and the others, but Sizing Europe will have to do something silly if he is going to fail to win this.

He was unlucky at Cheltenham, because the fact the last fence was omitted was never going to suit and he went under to Finian’s Rainbow.

And can I just give Henry de Bromhead ten out of ten for the way he handled that situation, I thought it was really commendable.

I don’t think Big Zeb is quite a light of other days, but just isn’t able to match strides any more with the likes of Sizing Europe and Finian’s Rainbow.

Gauvain is an in-and-out performer and you just don’t know which Gauvain will turn up.

I don’t have a ride in the Champion Novice Chase, but will obviously be most interested in Willie’s Sir Des Champs.

I have never hidden my admiration for Sir Des Champs, I have always liked him, ever since he arrived from France.

He is one of those who seems to know exactly where the winning post is and always does just enough.

Sir Des Champs appears to be head and shoulders over these and, you’d imagine, will only get beaten if doing something stupid.

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