BIG Ben can strike at Punchestown today.
BEN DUNDEE (7.10) ran a cracker when third in the Close Brothers Chase at Cheltenham last time and loves it around here too.
He broke his duck over fences over course and distance in November and gets similar ground today. He had excuses here in January and that Festival form shows he’s taken a big step forward.
It’s easy to forget how few miles he has on the clock over fences and his jumping was much better at Cheltenham. He wasn’t helped by getting a bad bump as the pace hotted up before keeping on well.
He’s 3lb lower in the weights for this, which gives him a massive chance of lifting this big prize.
Jett was impressive when winning at the Irish National meeting last time. He looked the winner a long way out and a 9lb penalty isn’t over the top. Coming back from just nine days off may be asking a lot though.
Class Conti showed form in France and won by a big 23 lengths on debut for Willie Mullins at Tramore last time. This is a much hotter contest but there could be plenty more to come.
It seems crazy that Cheltenham Gold Cup winner AL BOUM PHOTO is second favourite for the Punchestown Gold Cup at 6.05.
He has a worthy rival in stablemate Kemboy with Ruby Walsh in the saddle. The thinking is that the Blue Riband winner needed every yard of the 3m2f at Prestbury Park and the drop in distance will favour his rival.
That could be the case but Al Boum Photo may have just improved on his second run in a year at Cheltenham and has more to offer. This extended 3m will still take plenty of getting and he can come out on top.
PALOMA BLUE goes back over fences at 4.55 after his fair sixth in the Arkle Chase at Cheltenham last time out.
He was fourth in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle last season and it was a slight surprise to see him go over fences so quickly. He clearly has a lot of talent when taking on the smaller obstacles and should see out this longer trip.
Vision D’Honneur didn’t get going in this year’s Supreme and shapes as though this distance will be ideal. He won a decent maiden contest in a big field here in January so the track suits well.
The Cheltenham Albert Bartlett form is tested in the 5.30 with the first three crossing swords again. MINELLA INDO was so impressive in beating Commander Of Fleet and Allaho it’s hard to see the placings changing.
He was having just his third run over timber that day and travelled like a real star before battling on up the hill. It should be a good fight between them again. Allaho was running his first race outside France there so has scope for better but has almost 10 lengths to find.
Carefully Selected looks the only other runner who could make their presence felt. He was second in the Cheltenham Champion Bumper last year before finishing third in this race. He came back from a year off to win a minor contest at Limerick last time so fitness shouldn’t be an issue.
SANTA ROSSA can break the big boys’ strangehold on the Champion Bumper at 6.40.
Willie Mullins has a fantastic record in this race but none of his contenders this year are jumping out.
My fancy landed a Leopardstown Grade 2 in February and followed up with an excellent third at Aintree last time. At the prices on offer, she has every chance of at least hitting the frame again.
Patrick Mullins has chosen to ride Mt Leinster who was a solid second behind stablemate Golden Spread at Fairyhouse last week and they should both go well again.
