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Punchestown 2015

MEADE HOPEFUL APACHE CAN MAKE AMENDS

Trainer Noel Meade is hoping that Apache Stronghold, a faller when travelling well at Fairyhouse on his latest start, can put up a bold show in the Grade 1 Growise Novice Chase on Tuesday, April 28.

The seven-year-old, winner of the Grade 1 Flogas Novice Chase at Leopardstown in February, had previously finished runner-up to Vautour in the Grade 1 JLT Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

"Apache Stronghold is okay after Fairyhouse and he's going to run in the Growise Champion Novice Chase - he's a good horse who has never disgraced himself yet," said Meade.

"I don't know if I left him a bit too fresh for Fairyhouse but Paul [Carberry] said he took a pull out of him and went straight into the fence. He'd never done it before and has schooled well since."

Meade is set to bring his usual strong team to the Punchestown Festival and will run Cheltenham Gold Cup third Road To Riches in the Bibby Financial Services Ireland Punchestown Gold Cup.

"Road To Riches seems well enough at home although he had a hard race in Cheltenham all right. He was in second place there and just got caught near the line," said Meade.

"If he brings his A-game to Punchestown, he'll have a big chance in the Bibby Financial Services Ireland Punchestown Gold Cup.

"But I don't know how much Cheltenham has taken out of him although we thought there that better ground would help him."

HENDERSON BIDS TO BUILD ON GREAT PUNCHESTOWN RECORD

Nicky Henderson has saddled a winner at seven of the last eight Punchestown Festivals and among those who could bid to add to that record is Top Notch, who finished runner-up in the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The juvenile is a possible starter in the Grade 1 AES Champion Four Year Old Hurdle on Saturday, May 2.

"We have the idea of going for the AES Champion Four Year Old Hurdle with Top Notch. I would love to run him but if we are going to come we would look for the ground to be on the easy side," said Henderson. "The same owners [Simon Munir and Isaac Souede] have Buiseness Sivola in the same race with Willie Mullins so we will just have to see.

"I expect to also be bringing some horses for the bumpers and handicaps over this year."
 
No Vautour in the Champion Chase ...
 
Old Vic said:
No Vautour in the Champion Chase ...
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No, shame that, I think Ruby may be on the wrong one though, I'd rather back Felix Yonger each way than take a chance on Champagne Fever coming back to form. CF doesn't appear to me to have taken as well to fences as he might and seems to be on the downgrade whereas FY looks to be fullfilling some of his early promise now he's got the hang of things. Not surprising they decided to leave out Vautour with three experienced runners taking their place, put him away until next season now, this suits me because it should mean the price about him for next years QM should hold up, giving me chance to feed money onto him, that way if I've got it wrong it won't hurt quite as much as if I place it in one or two bets.
 
The performance of Douvan was something else, very similar to Faugheen's last year.

What do you think they'll do with him next season?
 
Faugheen_Machine said:
The performance of Douvan was something else, very similar to Faugheen's last year.

What do you think they'll do with him next season?
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I agree FM, the way he strides is very similar to The Machine.

WM doesn't have a World Hurdle banker. Could it be Douvan or someone else?
 
6.05 tomorrow nh flat fancy disko for noel meade nina carberry on board looked impressive when winning at punchestown ran away with the race bypassed cheltenham to wait for this
 
I wonder if they might go champ hurdle with Douvan and send Faugheen chasing.
 
Faugheen_Machine said:
I wonder if they might go champ hurdle with Douvan and send Faugheen chasing.
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I think Douvan is next years Arkle horse, they will want to see just how good Faugheen is as he grows in experience, there's nothing around in the 2m hurdling camp that's in his league so why upset the apple cart by one of their own. You can never be 100% sure with this outfit of course but that's what makes most sense to me, maybe they'll do a Big Bucks with Champagne Fever and drop him back to hurdling with the World hurdle in mind.
 
Each way double maybe thistle crack/cue card??

CUE Card will have a new jockey for Wednesday's Bibby Financial Services Punchestown Gold Cup. Colin Tizzard's star chaser raced four times in the 2014-15 season with Daryl Jacob on board but he is being replaced by Aidan Coleman for the 3m1f Irish Grade One contest.

Before leaving for the Emerald Isle the Milborne Port trainer explained: "The owners Jean and Bob Bishop and myself just fancied a change for Cue Card's sake. We wanted to try someone else for this race, so we approached Aidan and he said he would be available for the ride.


"This is no slight on Daryl - he is a damned good, top-class jockey and has ridden some really good winners for the yard and for the Bishops in the past few months. When I phoned him about the decision I'm sure he was disappointed but he took it like a gentleman.

"Aidan has ridden for the Bishops before - he was on Theatre Guide at Ascot in February and also on Mount Oscar and Coup Royale a few seasons back."

The trainer would not say whether Jacob would continue to ride the other Bishop-owned horses at Venn Farm.
 
Thistlecrack a max eachway for me tomorrow.

boston Bob also of interest.
 
shoods said:
6.05 tomorrow nh flat fancy disko for noel meade nina carberry on board looked impressive when winning at punchestown ran away with the race bypassed cheltenham to wait for this
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BoF fears that one too.
 
dont know how good he is but watched his last race very impressive but thats only my opinion
 
Can't believe they've gone for the 3m1f race for Cue Card, I thought they were going for the Ryanair what on Earth are they thinking. I wouldn't back him in this race with monopoly money, he's never shown signs of staying this distance in a top class race. I won't be having a bet today, just the one on FY yesterday, not the greatest betting event up to now for me and I think Djakadam is underpriced given a very hard race he had at Cheltenham, and he's only 6.
 
Well done on Felix MrM - I looked at him but had no bet. Thistlecrack could be value today but Shaneshill is probably the more likely winner. Fine Theatre in first.
 
MrMcGoldrick said:
Can't believe they've gone for the 3m1f race for Cue Card, I thought they were going for the Ryanair what on Earth are they thinking. I wouldn't back him in this race with monopoly money, he's never shown signs of staying this distance in a top class race. I won't be having a bet today, just the one on FY yesterday, not the greatest betting event up to now for me and I think Djakadam is underpriced given a very hard race he had at Cheltenham, and he's only 6.
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The idea that he stays can only be coming from the betfair chase. Since that was run at haddock No one knows how far it was run over.
 
In case anyone's wondering (based on being 50/1 in places): Bay of Freedom still has four legs and is totally sound. I was just over at the yard and he looks fantastic; how some of the horses we beat could be 14/1 and 16/1 and , in the case of Bellshill, 7/1 makes no sense to me. I am not guaranteeing anything but we know he's improved and has been beating supposedly faster horses over 7 furlongs on the gallops; he's not bred to do that but we also know he'll stay. All in all, there are many much worse e/w bets today!
 
Looks like I'm not the only one who thought Djakadam was overpriced at 6/4, out to 11/4 now, that was a hell of a hard race for him to finish 2nd at Cheltenham, would be a good performance to win.
 
Bayoffreedom said:
In case anyone's wondering (based on being 50/1 in places): Bay of Freedom still has four legs and is totally sound. I was just over at the yard and he looks fantastic; how some of the horses we beat could be 14/1 and 16/1 and , in the case of Bellshill, 7/1 makes no sense to me. I am not guaranteeing anything but we know he's improved and has been beating supposedly faster horses over 7 furlongs on the gallops; he's not bred to do that but we also know he'll stay. All in all, there are many much worse e/w bets today!
Click to expand...

Cheers BOF, wasn't going to have a bet but can't pass up on a 50/1 shot
 
Bayoffreedom said:
In case anyone's wondering (based on being 50/1 in places): Bay of Freedom still has four legs and is totally sound. I was just over at the yard and he looks fantastic; how some of the horses we beat could be 14/1 and 16/1 and , in the case of Bellshill, 7/1 makes no sense to me. I am not guaranteeing anything but we know he's improved and has been beating supposedly faster horses over 7 furlongs on the gallops; he's not bred to do that but we also know he'll stay. All in all, there are many much worse e/w bets today!
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Cheers BoF - stuck him in this

16:55 Punchestown
Each Way - Thistlecrack
EW Terms: 1/5 Odds | 3 Places
Best odds
17:30 Punchestown
Each Way - Boston Bob
EW Terms: 1/5 Odds | 3 Places
Best odds
18:05 Punchestown
Each Way - Bay Of Freedom
EW Terms: 1/5 Odds | 3 Places
Best odds
18:40 Punchestown
Each Way - Ericht
EW Terms: 1/4 Odds | 4 Places
 
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