Punchestown Day 3 Tips: @RoadCheltenham Previews Thursday Card
The Punchestown Festival rolls on by Thursday and we're into the swing of things now at this year’s meeting.
It could well be more of the same in terms of Mullins dominance, but there are plenty of interesting runners on Day 3 so let's crack on...
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15:40 Punchestown – Undeniable Alibi (E/W)
I’m siding with another Robcour-owned Gordon Elliott horse in the opening race of the day as I think UNDENIABLE ALIBI can prevail in the 88-123 handicap hurdle.
He had a lofty reputation heading into the campaign, having cost €170,000 as a store in 2022. He won his point-to-point at Punchestown in February last year but has been a tad disappointing since.
However, spring ground should suit and a strongly run two miles will hopefully be right up his street. He was given to me as one to watch back in the autumn and I’ll be backing him to finish in the places for sure.
16:15 Punchestown – Pinkerton (E/W)
It’s not the first time I’ve tipped PINKERTON and it won’t be the last as I’m convinced he is a much better horse than his current Irish mark of 130.
He has performed admirably on winter ground that may have been a tad soft for him and spring ground could be key to seeing this horse fulfil his potential. Sam Ewing is a talented, young jockey and he has partnered this horse on all four chase starts.
He’s a little quirky but I’m expecting Ewing to keep him close to the pace in a bid to get him into a rhythm early on.
18:00 Punchestown – Teahupoo (NAP)
TEAHUPOO is very much the one to beat on all known form and he finished six lengths clear of Home By The Lee at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival.
He is probably Jack Kennedy’s best chance of the week and a winner on Thursday will ease the pressure in the Irish Jockeys Championship, with Paul Townend closing the gap on Tuesday.
He’s pretty much bombproof in my eyes. He’s the classiest horse in the line-up and he’s the strongest stayer – I’m struggling to find an alternative angle in the race. He was fourth in the race last year but he can avenge that result here.
18:35 Punchestown – Getaway Charlie (E/W)
GETAWAY CHARLIE has improved massively this season and the Timothy Doyle gelding heads to this race off a winter break after six runs in the second half of 2023.
He’s now off a career high mark of 121 but he is progressive and I’m hoping he has been primed for this. It’s a competitive race but he has decent form in big field handicaps, with form figures of 32321 in fields of 13 runners or more since the start of last season.
I’m a tad concerned about his record fresh (0-5) but he’s finished in the places in each of his last six outings and I’m hopeful that he’ll feature at the business end of the race.
19:40 Punchestown – Port Joulain (WIN)
I really like PORT JOULAIN and word is that he is one of the better novice hurdle prospects at Closutton – I’ve already backed him for the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.
Willie Mullins had him marked for the Champion Bumper but couldn’t get him ready in time so kept him for the Gowran Park bumper won by the likes of Tullyhill, Journey With Me, Bob Olinger and Yorkhill in the past decade. Make of that what you will...
It’s a hot enough race, with several of these likely to be competing at Grade 1 level over hurdles. However, Port Joulain is the one to beat for me and I think he could be very, very good.