Tipping / Timeform / 23 April 2010 /

Timeform's Irish team has come up with three worth backing to win on day four at Punchestown.

Day four and the scene is set for a new Irish hero, but we'll get to that later, as, first up, there's a Hunter Chase (15:40) to find the winner of. The one who caught our eye in this is one of the few with form under rules, Moscow Johnny, but it's not that effort at Bellewstown (hurdles) that makes him of particular interest, but more that this is his first start for Gordon Elliott.

The veteran A New Story has found a new lease of life recently and looks sure to be suited by the stamina test in the following handicap chase (16:20). The Cheltenham Cross Country winner has since run well in the Irish National at Fairyhouse, making the frame for a fourth time, and looks sure to be thereabouts again.

The English hold a strong hand in the November Handicap Chase (16:55), with Jewson winner Copper Bleu and progressive novice Kangaroo Court set to cross swords, and though the latter has to put a fall at Ayr at the weekend behind him, the very fact that he's been asked to make the journey says plenty and a mark of 142 looks very inviting.

The feature race of the day is the Rabobank Champion Hurdle (17:30), where Dunguib will be looking to restore his reputation.

Channel 4's John McCririck was vehement that Brian O'Connell should be jocked off Philip Fenton's Dunguib after the Irish 'banker' of the Festival was turned over in the Supreme, and, whilst not everyone agreed (Davy Russell was more vocal than most in defending O'Connell), he may, for once, have had a point, as Dunguib did seem beaten by overconfident tactics more than anything, having tanked through the race.

He still looked the brightest prospect, however, and he doesn't actually have as much to find with the principals here, either, as the drying ground is against Solwhit, who disappointed at Cheltenham, as did both Punjabi and Medermit. The likelihood of a steadily-run race means that Dunguib's sometimes-suspect jumping shouldn't really be put to the test too much and odds of [4.80] look well worth taking, bearing in mind he would have been half the price if he had come in for a better ride and won the Supreme in the manner that we think he should. Let's hope lessons were learned and we are celebrating a new Irish hero - Brian O'Connell!

Luska Lad looks the obvious choice in the Champion Novice (18:05), but it's the two-miler (18:40) that follows where the best bet of the day is to be had. Arvika Ligeonnierre carried the hopes of the Irish team in Timeform House in the Spa Novices' Hurdle, with one member of staff who had backed him at [510.0] heard to let out a rather over-excited squeal when he was still going strongly up the hill, only to see the gelding's stamina give out, managing only fourth. The drop in trip is sure to suit and, though the odds this time will be less rewarding, he will look good value at anything around [3.0] with Puyol, his chief threat, open to far less improvement.

Unless there's an unraced superstar in the fillies' bumper (19:10) then the finish should be fought out by Timeform 'Horses in Focus' Another Cliché and High Benefit, and though it's probably significant that the latter makes the trip over from England, Another Cliché is a half-sister to smart Chaser Joncol and looks sure to build on her debut win at Limerick.

There's rather more form to go on in the following bumper (19:45), and Dessie Hughes's Frisco Depot is sure to be well backed, along with Willie Mullins' Allee Garde (from the family of Clan Royal), but, if Another Cliché wins the preceding race, Paul Nolan could be chasing a quick-fire double with relatives of Joncol, as his Seafield is a half-brother to the Irish Hennessy winner. Runner-up on his only start in a point, Seafield was a highly-promising second on his bumper debut at Naas and is sure to be suited by the slightly longer trip.

17:30 - Back to Win - DUNGUIB
18:05 - Back to Win - ARVIKA LIGEONNIERRE
19:45 - Back to Win - SEAFIELD

Form for all of today's racing in Britain and Ireland is available at the Timeform Free Form site

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