Punchestown tips: Pictures Of Home can land the spoils
Free Thought and Danny Mullins (right) beats Pictures Of Home (left) and Ensel Du Perche (centre) to win the Support Local This Christmas Maiden Hurdle last month. Pictures of Home can have a better outcome today. Picture: Healy Racing.
Back to Punchestown this afternoon for a decent programme, and the steadily progressive Pictures Of Home can make a winning handicap debut in the Ladbrokes Giving Extra Places Every Day Handicap Hurdle.
His latest run, in which he finished well to push Free Thought to half a length in a Naas Maiden Hurdle, suggested he would appreciate the step up to three miles which he takes today. A five-year-old with little mileage on the clock, he should have plenty more to give and today’s race looks an ideal opportunity to get off the mark.
Mahler Allstar can get off the mark over hurdles in the Ladbrokes Watch Racing Online For Free Maiden Hurdle. Jonathan Sweeney’s horse was deemed good enough to take the trip to Cheltenham for last season’s Champion Bumper and while never dangerous in that race he was far from disgraced in finishing in midfield behind Ferny Hollow.
Off from that race until making his hurdling debut at Leopardstown Christmas festival, he ran another race of real promise behind Stattler and Glens Of Antrim. Ridden patiently that day, his jumping improved as he saw more daylight and he was noted staying on nicely into third place.
The extra half-mile of today’s race is exactly what he wants, and he can take this at the expense of Fantasio D’alene. On lines through Stattler and Appreciate It, there isn’t a lot to choose between the pair, but the selection is open to more improvement and can come out on top today.
In the opening race, the Play Ladbrokes 5-A-Side Maiden Hurdle, five of the runners filled places two to six in a maiden hurdle at Limerick over Christmas and Star Of Cashel, who finished fifth that day, can come out on top on this occasion.
He was ridden with plenty of restraint that day, as though stamina was unassured, but he certainly got the trip and but for a bad mistake at the final flight he would likely have finished fourth and may well have challenged for a place in the frame.
With that run under his belt, he should be much more forward now and can improve past those that finished in front of him. Coltor, a Flat-race winner who finished runner-up to French Aseel on his hurdling debut, is the obvious danger and arguably the one to beat.
He was never a danger to the winner at Leopardstown but stayed on well to take second spot and is sure to be better for the experience. A big run looks assured in this easier company.
Lady Breffni will take beating in the Ladbrokes Get Your Daily Odds Boost Mares’ Maiden Hurdle. The seven-year-old mare is nought from four to date over hurdles but the point to point and bumper winner has run into some smart sorts in her short career to date over timber.
Last time out, on her debut for Willie Mullins, she finished fourth behind Flooring Porter, who went from winning that handicap off 136 to winning a Grade 1 next time out. The selection seemed to find the three-mile trip a touch too far for her and, better for that run, should take a great deal of beating back against her own sex and over a half-mile shorter trip. Humble Glory and The Getaway Star provide the only credible resistance but must improve to trouble the favourite.
1:05 Star Of Cashel
1:35 Spare Brakes
2:10 Lady Breffni
2:40 Fou Diligence
3:15 Mahler Allstar (NB)
3:45 Pictures Of Home (Nap)
4:15 Ardera Ru
1:05 Coltor
1:35 Pottlerath
2:10 Humble Glory
2:40 Low Lie The Fields
3:15 Fantasio D’alene
3:45 Get Home
4:15 Rebel Rose
