Tipping / Billy Nash / 30 April 2009 / Leave a comment Free £25 Bet

Timeform's Billy Nash gives you four recommendations for racing in Ireland on Friday...

Punchestown 4:20- Place Back - Rock Diplomat

Rock Diplomat will finally get the test of stamina he has been craving and has great prospects of at least getting a place. He won a maiden hurdle over three miles at Naas last year and ran one of his best races over fences at the same track when finishing fifth to Bella Mana Mou in a handicap in March. Rock Diplomat has since been dropped 3 lb which puts him on an attractive mark and his second at Ballinrobe last week confirmed his current wellbeing.

Punchestown 5:30 - Win Lay - Punjabi

Punjabi is the reigning champion hurdler and will be bidding for his third consecutive victory at the Punchestown Festival, but he had a very hard race at Cheltenham and looks worth opposing. He had to dig really deep to hold off Celestial Halo and Binocular at Cheltenham and, while he has won on soft ground, there is a suspicion that he is better on better ground. The home contingent is much stronger than it was when Punjabi won this last year with Quevega and Solwhit particularly tough opponents.

Punchestown 4:55 - Place Lay - Fantoche

Fantoche has a leading chance on the book but will have his stamina stretched to the limit here and may not even get placed. He finished second to Island Life over this trip at Leopardstown in March but the ground was good to soft on that occasion and these more testing conditions may well find him out.

Punchestown 6:40 - Win Back - Sorceror

Sorceror looked a horse with a big future when winning a maiden hurdle here in February and, while he needs to improve, could well be a bit of value and may follow up. He won with plenty to spare that day and the form has been working out quite well, with the fourth and fifth, Dundrum and Beckett Rock, both winning since. Copper Bleu runs here in preference to the Champion Novice Hurdle and is the one to beat but he has hard races at both Cheltenham and Aintree and may be vulnerable to a progressive type such as the selection.