Burns has Major chance

WILLIE MULLINS’ consistent six-year-old, Major Burns, is fancied to beat Rapide Plaisir in the Buy Your Tickets Online Hurdle at Punchestown this evening.

The selection, winner of a soft ground maiden hurdle at Gowran Park, showed all surfaces come the same to him when narrowly beaten on good to firm on this track earlier in the month. That was the best quality event he has contested to date and Major Burns showed he is on the upgrade with a highly creditable half a length second to Star Of Bethlehem.

Rapide Plaisir, beaten a length and a half by Major Burns’ stable companion Diego Garcia at Ballinrobe, is the obvious danger. But Ruby Walsh, who teams up with the nap, rode Diego Garcia then and will know exactly what is required to cope with that rival again.