Lossiemouth to shine as Fact To File headlines stellar John Durkan
It is hard to look beyond Lossiemouth in Saturday's Unibest Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
Two good afternoons of racing in Punchestown, with the addition of a Cork meeting to make Sunday particularly busy. The nap on this afternoon’s card goes to Kitzbuhel, who was a progressive hurdler last season and just the type to have a profitable season over fences.
Willie Mullins’ runner starts off in the Conway Piling Beginners’ Chase and while this is a competitive race, his class ought to come to the fore. The trip may be a little on the sharp side for him but the ground will bring stamina into play, and Paul Townend can coax him home in front of Shuffle The Deck.
The feature is the Grade One Unibet Morgiana Hurdle and it has attracted a disappointing field of just four. Willie Mullins provides two of the quartet, and it is hard to look beyond Lossiemouth.
That defeat in last season’s Christmas Hurdle at Kempton and the subsequent fall at Leopardstown persuaded connections that the Mares’ Hurdle was preferable to a tilt at the Champion Hurdle, and it yielded the desired dividends. She followed up at Aintree and, at just six years of age, there is more to come from the grey mare.
Her stablemate, Irancy, is clear second favourite and can chase her home, though Glen Kiln, who has plenty to find on bare form, will cope with conditions and could surprise in the race for second place.
The opening race, a juvenile hurdle, is interesting as Quinto De Lago, who ran out an easy winner of an Academy Hurdle, gets in without a winner’s penalty. This is, clearly, considerably tougher, but the benefit of that run will aid his cause.
In contrast to the disappointment of the Morgiana, Sunday’s feature in Punchestown, the Grade One John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase, is a terrific contest, with 11 horses declared, four of which are rated 170 or higher, and four more in the 160s.
Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin tops the list in terms of ratings, but last year’s winner, Fact To File, ought to be hard to beat. Runner-up in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham and winner of the Brown Advisory and the Ryanair Chase, the selection is as good as any horse in training, and this trip will suit him more than it will many of today’s rivals.
The ground may be a little more testing than ideal for those horses having their first start of the season, but the selection is at his best with cut in the ground, and he can get his season off to the perfect start.
Inothewayurthinkin developed through last season and was brilliant in the Gold Cup. However, he was well beaten in this race in 2024 and will need to be much more forward this time if he is to play a part. Gaelic Warrior is feared as the biggest threat, but it is great to see former winner Fastorslow back on the track and his strength in the market is worth noting.
The nap on Sunday’s card goes to Fleur In The Park, who can take the Grade Two Matchbook Betting Exchange Craddockstown Novice Chase for Andy Slattery. Winner of a bumper and a hurdle, he was beaten on his chasing debut but was much better second time up, when running out a ready winner. This is an opportunity to follow up, and he can account for market rival Westport Cove.
There are a couple of good races on tomorrow’s card in Cork, the most interesting of which is the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares’ Beginners’ Chase in which Jade De Grugy, The Big Westerner and Kala Konti are amongst those making their chasing debut.
Jade De Grugy, who was particularly good towards the end of last season, can make a winning start. Winner of her only bumper and five of her seven starts over timber, she was no match for Lossiemouth in the Mares’ Hurdle but even that form stands out in this company.
The Big Westerner was arguably a little unlucky in the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival, and she certainly has the size and scope to make it as a chaser. She is a real danger to the selection, but the ground may be a shade livelier than she would like.
11:30 Quinta Do Lago
12:00 Sound As A Bell
12:32 Kitzbuhel (Nap)
1:05 Rocky’s Diamond
1:40 Waterford Whispers
2:10 Lossiemouth
2:45 Rakki (NB)
3:20 Ballyfad
11:30 Combs
12:00 Santo Saspir
12:32 Shuffle The Deck
1:05 Koktail Divin
1:40 High Class Hero
2:10 Irancy
2:45 Sticwiththeprocess
3:20 Grandy Lane
11:30 Ronnie’s Rascal
12:00 Midnight Jet
12:30 Sortudo
1:00 Sarandon
1:35 Darcy’s Friend
2:10 Jade De Grugy
2:45 Hermino AA
3:20 Nowwhatdoyouthink
11:30 Infinity Succes
12:00 Master Haki
12:30 Factual Fact
1:00 Wardens Whisper
1:35 Long Branch
2:10 The Big Westerner
2:45 Iceberg Theory
3:20 Kish Bank
11:43 Desertmore House
12:13 Green Splendour
12:43 Joueur Masque
1:17 Fun Fun Fun
1:52 Staffordshire Knot
2:27 Fleur In The Park (Nap)
3:00 Fact To File (NB)
3:35 Boycetown
11:43 The Goffer
12:13 Bally Free
12:43 County Final
1:17 Mozzies Sister
1:52 Intent Approach
2:27 Westport Cove
3:00 Gaelic Warrior
3:35 Speculateur
