Stick with Jack High
The nine-year-old, a very useful staying hurdler, went off a strong favourite on this track to get off the mark over fences last month.
He jumped and travelled well, but was awkward at the final fence and went down by a head and the same to Harithabad and Pelican Brief.
That was an ordinary race and the selection will have to improve somewhat to score now. There are solid grounds for thinking he will, however.
This will only be his third ever race over the larger obstacles, so has plenty scope for improvement, and stepping up a furlong in trip can only help as well.
Arthur Moore’s Poachin Again, who has disappointed more often than not in the past, should prove hard to beat in the www.punchestown.com Maiden Hurdle.
Certainly, he should strip in fine shape, having put up his best effort to date at Leopardstown.
Front-running tactics were adopted for the first time and it was only by a head that Poachin Again gave best to hot-pot, John Oliver.
Presumably, the seven-year-old will be allowed bowl along from the start on this occasion as well and this represents a drop in class.
Pixie Dust, although the fact that she’s only a four-year-old is a worry, gets the vote to take the Mares Bumper.
Michael Grassick’s charge made a promising start when beaten a length and a half into second by Eddie Hales’ High Tech Made at Leopardstown and the fact the third was another 14 lengths off is encouraging.
