Punchestown Festival Tips - Top tips and best bets on Day One

Jon Vine

Editor

Last updated: Tue 26 Apr 2022 11:30

Jon Vine 26 Apr 2022

Share this article

Best bets on day one of the Punchestown Festival
The opening day of the Punchestown Festival takes place on Tuesday 26th April
The Punchestown Champion Chase headlines Tuesday's card
Bob Olinger, Party Central and Clifton Warrior feature in our day one tips

Expired

We're backing Bob to bounce back to his best at Punchestown. (Getty)

The final big festival of the National Hunt season kicks off today, with three Grade One prizes up for grabs on day one of the Punchestown Festival.

We've taken a look through the full card on Tuesday and picked out our best Punchestown Festival day one betting tips.

Table Of Contents

Punchestown Festival Day One Card
Punchestown Festival Day One Tips - NAP Of The Day
Punchestown Festival Day One Tips - Next Best
Punchestown Festival Day One Tips - Feature Race
Punchestown Festival Day One Tips - Value Bet 1
Punchestown Festival Day One Tips - Value Bet 2

Punchestown Festival Day One Card

Time	Title
3:40pm	Mares' Novices' Hurdle (Listed) 2m1f
4:15pm	Champion Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m
4:50pm	Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle 2m
5:25pm	William Hill Champion Chase (Grade 1) 2m
6:00pm	Goffs Land Rover Bumper 2m
6:35pm	Champion Novice Chase (Grade 1) 3m
7:10pm	Ladies Perpetual Cup Cross Country Chase 3m1f
7:45pm	INH Flat Race (4yo) 2m

Punchestown Festival Day One Tips - NAP Of The Day

Bob Olinger6:35pm Punchestown Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase (Grade 1) 3mGET 11/8 HERE

18+ only. T&Cs apply. Gamble responsibly.

This year's Turners' Novices' Chase could go down as one of the most underwhelming Grade Ones in Cheltenham Festival history. Just four runners took their chance, with many expecting a stunning showdown between Galopin Des Champs and BOB OLINGER.

Rachael Blackmore's mount badly underperformed on that day. Bob Olinger's jumping was sluggish and he failed to find anything off the bridle. Just when it seemed like Galopin Des Champs was home and hosed, Paul Townend's mount crashed out at the last, allowing Bob Olinger to walk over the line a 40-length victor.

I'm prepared to put a line through that performance. There was clearly something amiss with Bob Olinger that day. Henry De Bromhead has decided to fit a tongue-tie as he steps up to three miles for the first time, and De Bromhead's stable are in much better form leading into Punchestown than they were ahead of Cheltenham.

If you are prepared to ignore that run at Cheltenham, then 11/8 about an unbeaten two-time Grade One winner defeating an inferior field is an excellent price.

Punchestown Festival Day One Tips - Next Best

Party Central3:40pm Punchestown Howden Insurance Brokers Mares' Novice Hurdle (Listed Race) 2mGET 5/2 HERE

New customers only. 18+ T&Cs and wagering requirements apply.

Dinoblue and Grangee ran in the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Grade One at Fairyhouse nine days ago. Although the going description was yeilding at Fairyhouse, it was much more testing than that and there's a chance both of Willie Mullins' mares could be feeling the after-effects of a tough race.

I'd rather take Mullins' pair on with PARTY CENTRAL, who hasn't been out since the Cheltenham Festival. Gordon Elliott's six-year-old tanked into that race and was still on the bridle turning for home. Sadly, the rain softened ground dampened Party Central's turn-of-foot and she finished a little one-paced back in seventh.

Party Central is unbeaten on good or yeilding ground, winning a Listed bumper at Fairyhouse last spring and a Listed hurdle here at Punchestown over 19-and-a-half furlongs. If Davy Russell's mount can recreate the run that saw her score in a big handicap at the Dublin Racing Festival, then she could be very hard to beat.

party central leopardstown — Davy Russell riding Party Central (red cap) clear the last to win The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Paddy Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle at Leopardstown. (Getty)

Punchestown Festival Day One Tips - Feature Race

Read our full guide to the 2022 Punchestown Champion Chase to find out who we're backing in the main event on day one.

If you plan on watching any of Tuesday's races via a mobile device, then check out our Punchestown Champion Chase Live Stream page.

Punchestown Festival Day One Tips - Value Bet 1

Clifton Warrior E/W4:50pm Punchestown Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle (Grade B) 2m½f GET 16/1 HERE

18+ only. T&Cs apply. Gamble responsibly.

As I mentioned earlier, Henry De Bromhead's finally got his stable firing on all cylinders and he'll run four in this handicap hurdle. Rachael Blackmore will ride Gua Du Large, but I'd rather taken a chance on CLIFTON WARRIOR, who'll only carry 10-1 thanks to Mike O'Connor's claimer.

Clifton Warrior hacked up in a maiden at Thurles in November, before failing to see out two-and-a-half miles in a handicap at Leopardstown over Christmas. De Bromhead's six-year-old has finished second to decent rivals on his last two starts and remains unexposed at handicap level.

Punchestown Festival Day One Tips - Value Bet 2

Sarah's Soldier E/W7:45pm Punchestown INH Flat Race (4yo) 2mGET 20/1 HERE

18+ only. T&Cs apply. Gamble responsibly.

Willie Mullins trains two of the top three in the betting for this four-year-old bumper and both will be popular during the build-up. I'd much rather take a chance and back Peter Fahy's newcomer, SARAH'S SOLDIER at a lengthy price.

Sarah's Soldier is by Soldier Of Fortune, who's progeny boast an impressive 20% strike rate in National Hunt bumpers. Her dam, No Stopping Sarah won this race on debut back in 2008 and top amateur rider Derek O'Connor will take the ride. She could run much better than her odds suggest.