Punchestown Day 4 Tips Selections For Friday

Now on the homeward stretch, it's time for our preview of Day Four of the 2026 Punchestown Festival. The major races taking place on Friday are dominated by two prohibitively short priced Closutton favourites in King Rasko Grey and Lossiemouth, so Billy Grimshaw has delved into the supporting card for his two best bets...

17:25 Punchestown - QuinnBet Novice Handicap Chase

I try not to think about the Irish Grand National of 2026 too often, considering I had put down a confident bet on the reverse forecast that looked certain to land before KISS WILL took a penultimate flight tumble, leaving the seriously impressive winner Soldier In Milan in splendid isolation to power clear and win the race as impressively as any winner, dare I say it, since Our Duke. I actually fancied Kiss Will to win that day, but was at least going to settle for second and some lovely profit before his cruel fall and even though I now accept he probably would not have reeled in Soldier In Milan considering how well the winner wrapped up the race, I do think he would've got markedly closer than any other rival and if he had, he would not still be on a mark of 139 and racing in here with just 11st9 on his back.

Obviously he has to overcome the fall, and Paul Townend has deserted him, allowing John Shinnick a big chance, but his previous run in fifth in the Jack Richards is also working out well with winners in front of him and behind him since that day at Cheltenham. To my eye, he has the best form of anything in here given his proximity to Soldier in Milan and as such, he rates my best bet of the day. I do worry about his jumping holding up at a track like this and at the end of a long season but were this race being priced up by yours truly, he'd be favourite.

Townend is onboard Funiculi Funicula instead and perhaps that is a tip in itself, but I am going against the judgement of the great man - for better, or worse. To me, his beginners' chase win at Cork was nowhere near the level Kiss Will has produced on a few occasions now, but I do not see the horses working at home so of course the Mullins first string is worthy of respect. Outside of Townend's mount, I'd predictably make favourite Shuffle The Deck the main danger, smacking of a plot job in the green and gold for Ted Walsh after a tender ride at Fairyhouse last time out. Hopefully, though, Kiss Will will reward my loyalty and I certainly think he has the ability to do just that.

19:40 Punchestown - Stables Restaurant Naas INH Flat Race

I was gutted to see The Mourne Rambler not quite able to win on Wednesday as he was my best bet of the entire week, but I am in no doubt despite the fact he could not pull off the Cheltenham Punchestown bumper double that he is a top class animal. With that being said, to have pushed him to just over two lengths was a fine debut effort for Martin Brassil's CITYOFBLINDINLITES and he is a justified short-priced favourite in the lucky last. 

It would be easy enough to make the case that this lad, for a team who have already had a good week at Punchestown, may actually have been the best horse on the day at Leopardstown on Boxing Day, with Finian Maguire in the saddle unable to contain his horse running freely and Cityofblindinlites pulling himself to the front at a sub optimal time in the contest. Off a decent sized break here, he has hopefully learned to settle a touch better and if John Gleeson can keep a lid on his charge, he must have a fantastic chance of kicking the rest of this field out of the way.

He has tonnes in his favour and nothing more so than the fact he has had such a long break before coming to this race, in comparison to plenty of his rivals who have had long and busy seasons. Obviously in bumpers horses that have shown nothing can sprout wings, given their lack of experience and nous, but there is nothing in this race that should give the favourite much to worry about. The horse behind him in third, Premier Division, is the second favourite for Gordon Elliott but in contrast to the market leader here, he did not seem to run as freely and as such I'd say has less potential upside coming here off the same 126 day break.