Snowy forecast for Punchestown
Top rated horse in the contest is Strangely Brown and the selection has to meet him on 18lbs worse terms compared to a handicap.
But Strangely Brown hasn’t been seen for four months and has struggled for a while to hit anything approaching his best, whereas Snowy Morning, we know, is in cracking shape right now.
Strongly fancied to run a big race in the Hennessy at Newbury, he fell at the seventh. Willie Mullins then gave him a confidence-restorer over flights at Fairyhouse.
Two and a quarter miles looked on the sharp side, but Snowy Morning made all the running to score by an easy four and a half lengths.
This is a far tougher assignment, but the rising eight-year-old is virtually guaranteed to give his running, which is a lot more than can be said for nearly all of his opponents.
Streets Of Gold, disgracefully demoted to second after beating Deutschland half a length at Leopardstown last week, has to be fancied to gain compensation, off the same mark, in the Buy Your Tickets On line Atwww.punchestown.com Handicap Hurdle.
At Tramore today Charles Byrnes’ Burren Ben can finally enjoy a turn in the Guillamene Maiden Hurdle.
At Thurles eight days ago he ran his best race to date when grabbed late and beaten three parts of a length by Ellas Cavallo and a reproduction of that effort will be good enough.
O’Hana, mildly disappointing when only third to Supreme Ruler and Jered at Fairyhouse, is worth another chance in the Metal Man Novice Hurdle.
Her previous defeat of Decoy Daddy and Whatuthink at Galway reads exceptionally well in the light of this afternoon’s opposition.
