Punchestown 25/04/08

[mowgli77]

Sublimity 4.20 Punchestown (7/4 Betfred) Fine performance at Cheltenham to finish 4th last time out when it looked like a horse in desperate need of another race before that one. Lack of fitness really told and it was in contention until then. It was only 1l behind Punjabi and that one seems to keep falling short of being top class Grade 1 material. Harhibald is too inconsistent to put any money on or have any faith in. Better ground can see it make more of its flat speed and should gain compensation today.

[WoodyTHFC]

Re: Punchestown 25/04/08 Leaving out the big one today. Punch 3.45 Scotsirish 10/1 pp 7.5 pts e.w 5 places The key here is the increased trip imo, 2m has just found it slightly one paced at times and Mullins has mentioned before that an increased trip has been on the cards for a while and here it is. Does it from top of the handicap but that was based on 2m form which in parts was quite good, grade 2 placed, win over Wins Now but also was blighted at times by sloppy jumps and the one pace factor Ive mentioned before. At the added trip there may be a tad more improvement left if not over the top for the season. Good ground I dont see as a major problem as its best hurdle performance was on good ground. 4.55 Fiveforthree 9/2 pp 7.5 pts e.w Ran on Tue and was a bit disappointing. Finished third but was well beaten and just didnt have the pace for 2m, tried to make it into a test but was just picked up by the impressive winner before plugging on into third having been one pace at the crucial time. I think the distance today is much more preferable as he showed at chelt. when he needed all of it to get home and I doubt quite the riding tactics of Tue will be repeated today. Danger is that the run takes too much out of him and that the trainer is just running him to win prize money and the trainers title but I will give it another chance to see if at this trip, it is in chelt. form where he was impressive for a horse so inexperienced. 5.30 Raise Your Heart 9/2 pp 7.5 pts e.w 4 places I remember putting this up lto when he was third despite awful tracking problems, closing late on the leaders and with a clear passage I think would have won. the form of that race has seen horses around him run with credit on future occasions. He is a very strong traveller which suits in the big field, question mark is to how well he will travel on the quicker ground. 6.30 Bantry Commons 11/4 bet3 bog 15 pts This one was heavily backed on debut and ran a very good race, finished second but made pretty eyecatching progress having travelled well enough but just been in a bad position and eventually when he got a run, he ran well. The form of that race has worked out quite well and produced a few winners and having declined other entries in looks like its been prepared for this.