3 minutes The conclusion of a thrilling Punchestown Festival takes place on Saturday with the final eight races of the week taking place
The conclusion of a thrilling Punchestown Festival takes place on Saturday with the final eight races of the week taking place. We close the five-day Punchestown Festival with two more Grade 1 races and once again we’ll offer an in-depth preview of both races, offering the latest race odds and free bet offers from our partners at NAGS Bet.
Coolmore N.H. Sires Bolshoi Ballet Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle
It's Willie Mullins v Henry de Bromhead in the first Grade 1 race on Saturday as the two trainers account for all five runners in the Mares Champion Hurdle.
Lossiemouth is the big favourite to win an eighth race in nine runs and she is undoubtedly the one to beat based on the form shown when winning the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March. Her only previous run at Punchestown saw her land the Grade 1 Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle at last year’s Festival.
All five entries in the Mares Champion Hurdle contested Cheltenham’s Mares’ Hurdle making it an excellent form indicator, albeit on heavy ground it’s hard to make a case for any of these to overturn the race winner on Saturday. Telmesomethinggirl was second at Prestbury Park but she’s now failed to win any of her past six races.
Hispanic Moon ran on well for third at Cheltenham and could prove the best of the rest at Punchestown. Henry de Bromhead’s seven-year-old has won on both previous visits to Punchestown and could be suited to the improving ground.
Coolmore N.H. Sires Bolshoi Ballet Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle Odds
| Horse | Form | Trainer | Jockey | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lossiemouth | 1211-11 | W P Mullins | P Townend | 2/9 |
| Telmesomethinggirl | 2F-3422 | H de Bromhead | Rachael Blackmore | 15/2 |
| Ashroe Diamond | 311-31P | W P Mullins | Mr P W Mullins | 11/1 |
| Hispanic Moon | 16-1613 | H de Bromhead | D J O'Keeffe | 16/1 |
| Gala Marceau | 23-1336 | W P Mullins | D E Mullins | 20/1 |
Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle
The final Grade 1 race of the week is the Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle and the race features yet another field dominated by Willie Mullins. Fresh from breaking the record for the most wins by an Irish-based trainer, Mullins accounts for six horses in a field of ten. Kargese looks to be his best prospect and she heads to Punchestown as the one to beat.
Kargese earned a respectable second place finish behind Sir Gino at Aintree and was also runner-up in the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Winner of the Grade 1 Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown in February, Kargese certainly sets the standard here.
Nurburgring was only a nose behind Kargese at Leopardstown but finished 12 lengths down on the market leader in the Triumph in March. Needs to bounce back but looks well-held by Kargese.
Bottler’secret looks to be the biggest danger to the favourite as he eyes a fifth straight win. This is undoubtedly his toughest assignment to date but looked capable of stepping up to Grade 1 company when landing a Grade 2 juvenile hurdle at Fairyhouse four weeks ago.
Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle Odds
| Horse | Form | Trainer | Jockey | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kargese | 2-12122 | W P Mullins | P Townend | 13/8 |
| Bottler'secret | 11 | G P Cromwell | S W Flanagan | 11/4 |
| Nurburgring | 12134 | J P O'Brien | J J Slevin | 5/1 |
| Storm Heart | 125 | W P Mullins | D E Mullins | 11/2 |
| Bunting | 147 | W P Mullins | S F O'Keeffe | 12/1 |
| Karl Des Tourelles | 122 | P Fenton | B Hayes | 14/1 |
| Highwind | 189 | W P Mullins | M P Walsh | 28/1 |
| Miss Manzor | 17153 | W P Mullins | Rachael Blackmore | 33/1 |
| Batman Girac | 61-7405 | W P Mullins | M J M O'Sullivan | 50/1 |
| Eastern Legend | 8 | J S Bolger | J C Gainford | 80/1 |
