Shoreacres may make Punchestown raid

Brendan Powell has given Shoreacres a clean bill of health after his recent win and is thinking of a possible appearance at the Punchestown Festival.

The eight-year-old was fourth in Cousin Vinny’s Champion Bumper of 2008 and was seventh behind Go Native in the Supreme a year later.

A fall at Plumpton last February kept him off the track for 12 months but he returned with an impressive 28-length win at Taunton earlier this week.

“Touch wood, he’s great,” said Powell.

“He will only go to Cheltenham (for the Grand Annual) if the ground is on the soft side. He does go on better ground, as he showed in the Supreme, but he’s better when it’s softer.

“He could go to Punchestown for a novice handicap chase over two miles that is worth a lot of money. We might have a look at that.”