Punchestown Day Two Preview: All the betting, all the races including the last serving of Beef

Punchestown Festival Betting / Wayne Bailey / 22 April 2008 / 1

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Wayne Bailey has studied the form, read his thoughts here

Day two is Guinness day, and there'll be more than a few pints of the black stuff consumed around Punchestown this week! The feature race is the Guinness Gold Cup and with €275,000 up for grabs, it's a serious payday for the winner. We also bid a fond farewell to ten-time Grade One winner, Beef Or Salmon, as he saddles up for the last time ever.

2:30 - Martinstown Opportunity Series Final Handicap Hurdle

While this race is relatively new, all recent winners have come from lower down in the weights (11st or under). The final line-up is not completed at the time of writing, but one horse that I'm hoping will make the final cut is Native Royal, who's been treated fairly leniently by Noel O' Brien, the Irish handicapper. Dalucci, who is a better horse than his recent form suggests, is also worth some win and place money.

3:05 - Evening Herald Hurdle

A hurdle that's restricted to four-year-olds, this is a brand new race so we can't look at the past winners for clues. It's interesting to see that Mullins, the top festival trainer last year, has multiple entries in this. However, if Noel Meade's Silverhand can come back to form after a poor jumping display at Cheltenham, he can claim an important second victory at this track. Cru will carry my money should Meade send Silverhand to the other four-year-old race later in the week.

3:40 - Osberstown Developments Novice Hurdle

A race that's been kind to punters over the years, the previous four renewals have all been won by the favourite. Nicky Henderson sends the aptly named Punchestowns across the Irish Sea in the hope of raiding the prize. He was found wanting last time out at Cheltenham, but this race is a more realistic level. Mullins' Uncle Junior can cause him the most bother should his entry remain intact.

4:15 - Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup (Grade 1)

Beef Or Salmon won this in 2004, but it's fair to say that Hourigan's 12-year-old is well past his best. This will be his last ever race, and it brings an end to a glittering if not slightly incomplete career, considering he never won in Britain. Sentiment and betting are a dangerous mix however, so let's be realistic and just wish him well. Kicking King will be trying to reclaim his crown, but he's another horse that has seen better days. Neptune Collonges will surely go off favourite, but he's way too short a price for me in this difficult contest. Snowy Morning came third in the Grand National, proving that he's no longer just a decent handicapper and will carry my money at a big price.

4:50 - Ulster Bank Handicap Chase

Another race that should see plenty of nice prices on offer, it's worth having more than one running for you against the field. Macs Flamingo will be looking to make amends for his fall in Aintree's Topham Chase, and is running off a decent mark. It was nice to see Ballyagran come back to form at Fairyhouse, and shouldn't be too far off.

5:25 - Paddy Power Champion INH Flat Race (Grade 1)

Corskeagh Royale can get his own back for his Cheltenham defeat to Cousin Vinny, and hopefully Ireland's 'bumper queen', Nina Carberry will be on board. On that occasion, Meade's gelding left it a little late, but still stormed home a decent second. Lessons will have been learned since then, and for a bumper, this is building up to be a very exciting race indeed.

6:00 - Three.ie Novice Chase

Another race with a long list of entries, I'm hoping that Goulding let's Fivestar Alstars take his chances, as he always puts up a great fight and is rarely out of the placings. Another horse that's rarely out of the placings, Big Zeb is my alternative. Trainer Colm Murphy has a formidable record in chases here, so rule him out at your peril.

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Wayne Bailey | 23 April 2008

Late update:

Just two horses did not make the final line-up.

In the 3:40, Punchestowns has pulled out, so Sharkervilz will carry my money instead. He beat a decent field last time out at Fairyhouse, and should be right up there.

In the 6:00, Mullins has saved Fred's Benefit for today instead, and should go off at a decent price in both win and place markets.