Punchestown tips: Hamundarson can make most of opportunity
Irish Cesarewitch winner Cape Gentleman can make a winning start over hurdles. Picture: Healy Racing.
With luck, the weather this afternoon at Punchestown will be more accommodating for viewers than it was on Sunday, and punters can get off to a winning start by siding with Hamundarson in the Industry Fundraiser for Children’s Health Found Crumlin in Memory of Pat Smullen Maiden Hurdle.
Placed in two of his three outings in bumpers, including when runner-up to the smart Risk Factor on debut, he recently made his hurdling debut and ran a fine race to finish third behind Blue Lord and Julies Stowaway.
On the latter occasion, he looked to be going best of all turning in but had no answer to the front two in the closing stages. That said, he was a long way clear of the remainder and the performance was more than good enough to suggest he would win a maiden hurdle. This race doesn’t look as strong as that one and he can make the most of the opportunity.
Fan Fan La Tulipe is worth noting in the market. She was disappointing on her only start to date over hurdled but is likely capable of much better. She is fitted with headgear this time and market strength would be noteworthy. Not Available is only third reserve but he is very closely related to Identity Thief, and it would be interesting were Henry De Bromhead’s newcomer to get his opportunity to run.
Irish Cesarewitch winner Cape Gentleman is an interesting recruit to National Hunt racing, and he can make a winning start in the Gift A Donation This Year Maiden Hurdle. On only his second run for Emmet Mullins, the four-year-old ran out an impressive winner of the competitive Flat handicap, earning a mark of 96, and if he can translate that to this sphere, he will be hard to beat.
He stayed well on the level, so it is no surprised to see him start off two and a half miles and his class can see him home in front of bumper winner Homme D’un Soir, who remains a decent prospect for Gordon Elliott.
The Gift Punchestown Vouchers This Christmas Beginners’ Chase is a fascinating race, with numerous potentially smart sorts for the season ahead, none more so than the De Bromhead-trained Eklat De Rire. Winner of his sole outing in a point to point, he finished a fine second to Foxy Jacks on his hurdling debut and went one place better next time.
Six, turning seven, he hasn’t wasted much time over hurdles and the switch to chasing can see him in even better light. This is not the easiest of introductions, but he looks potentially very smart and can take this at the expense of Run Wild Fred and School Boy Hours.
12:25 Hamundarson (nap)
12:55 Cape Gentleman
1:25 Gevrey
2:00 Lee Valley Legacy
2:30 Eklat De Rire
3:00 La Tektor (nb)
3:30 Stranger Danger
12:25 Not Available
12:55 Homme D’un Soir
1:25 Conquredalofeurope
2:00 Jurby
2:30 Run Wild Fred
3:00 Hilltop Supreme
3:30 Recite A Prayer
