Punchestown Festival day 3 tips: Robbie Power's selections for Thursday

Irish Daily Mirror

01-05-2025

The Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle (6.00) looks a good opportunity for Teahupoo to return to winning ways after finishing second to Bob Olinger at Cheltenham.
He has done nothing wrong all season. He found Lossiemouth too good in the Hatton's Grace before bumping into course specialist Bob Olinger, who is gone to the field on his holidays, at Cheltenham.
Teahupoo won this race last year and I think he'll be very hard to beat under Sam Ewing for Gordon Elliott.
Robcour's other runner Hiddenvalley Lake was very impressive when winning at Aintree earlier this month and it looks a match between him and Teahupoo, with the latter fancied to come out on top.
He'll be fine on the ground. He won on this sort of ground before so I don't see it being an issue.
Rocky's Diamond ran a very good race for Declan Queally and Shane Fitzgerald when fourth in the Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham. He's only a five-year-old and is one open to further improvement in today's feature.
Kap Ouest is an interesting runner in today's opening race, the Specialist Group Handicap Hurdle at 2.30, for Harry Fry, who has a good record with his runners at Punchestown, but The Other Mozzie is the one I like here for Gavin Cromwell and Keith Donoghue.
He won over fences at Ayr on Scottish Grand National day off a mark of 138 and is 19 pounds lower over hurdles. It doesn't always add up, but it's hard to overlook him and the other one I like the look of is Janes Harbour for Joseph O'Brien and Aidan Kelly, who is towards the bottom of the weights, with the jockey claiming five pounds off him.
With 23 runners, they'll go very hard in the Frontline Security Handicap Chase at 3.05. Tullyhill has been disappointing over fences and it's hard to fancy him, but I do like Jasko Des Dames for Henry de Bromhead and Darragh O'Keeffe.
He'll love the drying ground, is only a six-year-old and ran a very good race in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham when fifth behind Jazzy Matty. He's a great each-way bet in this.
Vanillier runs in the Mongey Communications La Touche Cup Cross Country Chase at 3.40 and was very impressive over the banks here back in February.
With the master of the banks on his back, he'll be very hard to beat in today's third race for the Cromwell and Donoghue team.
Custom Taylor is my fancy for the Conway Piling Handicap Hurdle at 4.15. He's snuck in here as bottom weight after being very game and very gutsy to win at Fairyhouse nine days ago.
If that race hasn't left a mark, he should be very competitive here.
It's very hard to look past Sixandahalf in the Close Brothers Irish EBF Mares Novice Hurdle after she was narrowly beaten by Air Of Entitlement at Cheltenham.
This two-mile trip should really suit on this track and on ratings, she comes out well on top.
In the first of today's Grade 1s, Barberstown Castle Novice Chase, Majborough looks set to go off a very short-priced favourite for Willie Mullins and Mark Walsh.
Would I be backing him at 2/5? Probably not. His jumping cost him victory in the Arkle Chase at Cheltenham.
He is by far the classiest of these horses and with a clear round of jumping he will win, with Only By Night expected to chase him home.
And Ksar Fatal looks the pick of Willie's in the bumper at 6.35, with Patrick taking the ride. He should take all the beating after winning on his racecourse debut at Gowran Park back in March.
Bet of the day - Sixandahalf - 4.50