Best bets on day three of the Punchestown Festival
The Punchestown Festival continues on Thursday 28th April
The Champion Stayers' Hurdle headlines Thursday's card
Gentleman De Mee, Grange Walk and Exit To The West feature in our day three tips
Expired
Mark Walsh riding Gentleman De Mee clear the last to win The Maghull Novices' Chase at Aintree. (Getty)
The Punchestown Festival reaches it's halfway stage on Thursday and viewers have another strong card to look forward to. Along with several competitive handicaps and the La Touche Cup, racing fans have two Grade Ones to enjoy, including the Champion Stayers' Hurdle.
We've taken a look through the full card on Thursday and picked out our best Punchestown Festival day three tips.
18+ New UK+IRE Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 4x £5 free bets. Free bets available to use on selected sportsbook markets only. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions + T&Cs apply.
Going into the Arkle, I didn't think Willie Mullins' trio of runners were truly top standard and I was proven right, as Blue Lord and Haut En Couleurs were well-beaten by Edwardstone. Edwardstone was then comfortably beaten by another of Willie's novices, GENTLEMAN DE MEE at Aintree and Mark Walsh's mount tops the betting for this Grade One.
Although that race at Aintree came at the end of a long season for Edwardstone, I don't think the Arkle winner underperformed. Gentleman De Mee made the running, jumped well throughout and kicked clear of the favourite after the last to win by almost five lengths.
Gentleman De Mee sits eight pounds clear of his nearest rival in the ratings and brings the strongest recent form to the table. 6/4 seems like a very fair price.
GRANGE WALK was my NAP on day two of the Fairyhouse Festival when John Ryan's charge entered the Grade B Novice Handicap Chase. Shane Fitzgerald's mount kept tabs on Mt Leinster throughout and was in the process of mounting a stern challenge when he slipped on landing the second-last and came crashing to the canvas.
Mt Leinster went on to claim a five-length win that day, but Grange Walk seemed to have him covered at the time of his departure. Fitzgerald's claimer means Grange Walk will be getting six pounds from Mt Leinster when their rivalry is renewed on Thursday and I fancy Grange Walk will make ammends for that untimely tumble at Fairyhouse.
Doctor Duffy reverts back to hurdles at Punchestown on Thursday. (Getty)
Jessica Harrington has enjoyed plenty of success in this handicap, saddling three winners and a second in the last seven years. Robbie Power rode four-year-old Bobabout to victory for Harrington in 2017 and he'll partner another of Jessie's juveniles, ONLY SKY on Thursday.
A winner on the flat at Ballinrobe last July, Only Sky finished a third behind decent rivals on her first two hurdles starts. Power's mount then got up under the shadow of the post to claim her first win over obstacles at Cork in March and skipped a handicap outing at Fairyhouse when the ground same up a little too soft. She could be a player off this opening handicap mark of 111.
After a good run over hurdles on his reappearance at Thurles in October, Charles Byrnes hatched a plan to get DOCTOR DUFFY qualified for the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival. Sadly, Byrnes' nine-year-old struggled at Haydock and Navan, and could only finish eighth in the Pertemps Qualifier at Leopardstown over Christmas.
After failing to finish in either the Grand National Trial or the Ultima, Doctor Duffy returned to form last time out with a good second behind Melon in a Grade Three. Philip Enright's mount now returns to hurdling running off an appealing mark and could be worth siding with in this wide-open contest.
Philip Enright will again partner EXIT TO THE WEST, who enters this mares' handicap running off an appealing mark. Robert Tyner's mare has finished second in two staying handicaps here at Punchestown this season and was only beaten four lengths at Navan in March, despite being badly hampered on the approach to the second-last.
Exit To The West was beaten six lengths behind Minx Tiara last time out. Minx Tiara was allowed an easy lead that day and Enright's mount couldn't match the winners' finishing kick, drifting back from second to fifth down the home straight as she was passed by speedier rivals.
Anthony Honeyball sends two front-runners over from England, so Minx Tiara is unlikely to get her own way out in front. This should ensure the race becomes more of a test of stamina and that should suit Exit To The West, who stays further than this 21-furlong trip and goes well around this track.
Gentleman De Mee6:35pm Punchestown Barberstown Castle Novice Chase (Grade 1) 2mGET 6/4 HERE
Grange Walk4:15pm Punchestown Pigsback.com Handicap Chase (Grade B) 2mGET 11/4 HERE
Only Sky E/W3:40pm Punchestown Specialist Joinery Group Handicap Hurdle 2mGET 16/1 HERE
