Slade Steel can pass stamina test at Punchestown
CHASING VICTORY: Having chased home Predators Gold at Navan earlier this month, Slade Steel can go one better in the final Irish racing meeting of 2025. Picture: Healy Racing
Punchestown draws the curtain on 2025’s racing calendar and the opening race, the Celebrating 175 Years At Punchestown Tote Beginners’ Chase, revolves around the stamina of former Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Slade Steel.
Second in similar races on his only two starts of last season, he was off for almost a year before taking a third try at a beginners’ chase and the result was just the same: A runner-up finish.
On that occasion, he travelled best of all, looked all over a winner for most of the straight, but was outpointed late on by Predators Gold. To his credit, he didn’t give up, and was battling all the way to the winning line.
All three tries to date over fences have been over two and a half miles, and he is stepping up to three miles this afternoon, and if that proves to be within compass, it will be a major surprise if he is beaten.
Ballygunner Castle performed quite well on chasing debut and with a little improvement, he should be in the frame once more.
The second race is the 16-runner Tote Guarantee Never Beaten By SP Handicap Chase, and while it is fiercely competitive, Crecora Hills and Sammy Smart can be to the fore as the race unfolds.
Marginal preference is for the former, who was having his first run in almost nine months when running away with a novice handicap chase last month in Naas. The way he won suggested he would have little trouble dealing with a decent rise in the ratings, and he certainly received that, being allotted 11lbs by the handicapper. Bound to be considerably better for that run, the unexposed six-year-old ought to race a little less keenly and, that being so, will take a deal of beating in his follow-up bid.
Sammy Smart rates a danger following his big effort in defeat on last month’s return to action. Contesting a 15-runner handicap chase, he came from off the pace to throw down a strong challenge to favourite Rising Dust and pushed him all the way to the line, the pair clear of the remainder.
Given that the winner followed up off a 15lbs higher mark, and is now 30lbs higher in the ratings, the 6lbs given to Sammy Smart for his effort should not be close to enough to prevent another big effort. The drop in trip is only a minor concern, and he has to be heavily involved.
12:35 Slade Steel (Nap)
1:05 Crecora Hills
1:35 Mino Des Mottes
2:05 El Fabiolo
2:35 A Dream To Share
3:05 King Bob
3:35 Sound Judgement
12:35 Ballygunner Castle
1:05 Sammy Smart
1:35 Saratoga
2:05 Ballyadam
2:35 Catch The Beast
3:05 Blue Reed
3:35 Luciole Des Bordes
