2021 Punchestown Gold Cup Tips - Defending champion could cause an upset

Jon Vine

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Last updated: 27 Apr 2021

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Jon Vine 27 Apr 2021

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We've published our guide to the 2021 Punchestown Gold Cup
This Grade One headlines the card on day two of the Punchestown Festival on Wednesday 28th April
Al Boum Photo tops the betting after Minella Indo was ruled out
Kemboy is our best bet at 4/1

Expired

Kemboy wins the 2019 Punchestown Gold Cup. (Getty)

The second day of racing at the Punchestown Festival is headlined by the Punchestown Gold Cup. This Grade One was added to the Festival schedule in 1999, and it's been won by legends like Beef Or Salmon, Kicking King and Carlingford Lough.

We've taken a look through the classy field set to take part in the 2021 renewal, and picked out our best bets

2021 Punchestown Gold Cup Odds

Name	Odds
Al Boum Photo	13/8
Clan Des Obeaux	3/1
Kemboy	4/1
Fakir D'Oudairies	7/1
Melon	7/1
Easy Game	20/1

*Odds taken from Ladbrokes on 27/4/21*

2021 Punchestown Gold Cup Runners

Al Boum Photo2021 Punchestown Gold Cup FavouriteGET 13/8 HERE

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After Minella Indo was ruled out with a minor stone bruise, Al Boum Photo jumped to the head of the betting. Willie Mullins' star could only finish third as he attempted to become the fifth three-time winner of the Gold Cup at Cheltenham. That still has to be regarded as the best piece of form on offer, and the fact he's had such a brief campaign could work in his favour.

Kemboy made all and beat Minella Indo in the Irish Gold Cup earlier in the season. Mullins then, inexplicably, threw his star into the Cheltenham Gold Cup, despite flopping on every previous run around that track, and Kemboy was again well beaten off back in ninth. He does, however, have the upper-hand on his more-fancied stablemate, having beaten Al Boum Photo comfortably in this race 24 months ago.

Following an emphatic win in the Bowl at Aintree, Paul Nicholls and the owners have stumped up the supplementary fee to send Clan Des Obeaux to Punchestown. Nicholls' two-time King George winner goes very well right-handed, and ran well on his only other visit to Ireland, placing second behind Road To Respect at Down Royal in 2019.

Fakir D'Oudairies steps back up in distance, having thrashed his rivals in the Melling Chase, but still has to prove his stamina over this trip. As does Melon, Who ran poorly in the Irish Gold Cup, and fared even worse in the Ryanair behind Allaho.

Easy Game will like the ground, but whether he has the quality of those at the head of the market is certainly questionable.

2021 Punchestown Gold Cup Tips

Kemboy2021 Punchestown Gold Cup TipsGET 6/1 HERE

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Conditions will be perfect for Clan Des Obeaux. Yet, given how dominant Irish horses have been over their English counterparts all season, Paul Nicholls' raider seemingly has plenty to prove.

Heading into Cheltenham, I wasn't convinced that Al Boum Photo was one of the best chasers in the business. Although he ran well to finished third, I felt Mullins' charge was outclassed by the Henry De Bromhead duo, and I don't mind taking him on again here. At the odds, I'd rather take a punt on KEMBOY.

Kemboy ran out a worthy winner here in 2019, comfortably seeing off Al Boum Photo to hand Ruby Walsh his final Grade One win. Mullins' nine-year-old has been running as well as ever this season, finishing a close second to A Plus Tard in the Savills, before an excellent front-running success in the Irish Gold Cup.

I didn't see the point in running Kemboy at Cheltenham. The best he's finished there in five starts is fifth. He clearly hates the place.

In contrast, Mullins's charge has won five times and finished second twice in eight starts going right-handed. Kemboy has won twice here at the Punchestown Festival, and his record on good or yielding ground is very good.

Verdict

2021 Punchestown Gold Cup

I think Kemboy is a cracking bet at 4/1, given his record going right-handed and his results away from Cheltenham this season.

Kemboy

Straight Win

@4/1 - 25 Units

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