Punchestown Festival Tips: 100/1 Demon to spring a surprise over the banks

Has run well over this banks course on a few occasions

Punchestown 19:10: Like A Demon 1pt e/w 100/1

Good Bye Sam heads the market for the banks race on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival and while he's the classiest horse in the race, this will be his first try over this course. The same goes for De Nordener who is Enda Bolger's only representative in the race this year. He ran well behind subsequent Exeter hurdler winner Just A Dime earlier this year and has won both starts since. Banks race regular Vital Island ran well over C&D in February and looks likely to run well again but the market hasn't missed that.

Michael's Pick is next in and he's also shown some good form over this course but it's a horse who finished behind him in the La Touche last season who appeals at the prices.

Like A Demon finished 16¾ lengths behind Michael's Pick that day but he was a blatant non-stayer that day, closing into fourth at 2 out before being left behind by the front pair.

He ran well in this race in 2019 on his second try over the course when he was still travelling well tracking the leading McManus pair going to 2 out but made an awful mistake and unseated rider.

He also failed to complete the course a few days later in the La Touche when he had just gone into the lead at Rubys Double but landed flat-footed on the other side and unseated rider.

Like A Demon's form away from the banks races since largely has been moderate and inconsistent but that was also the case prior to him running well in the race in 2019 so that's no concern and his run at Tyrella in January was likely just part of getting him ready for this race.

He is the oldest runner in the field and it might be that younger rivals will improve past the level he's shown or that he will now be on the decline but in a specialist sphere like this I think horses that have proven themselves over the course can regularly run better against unexposed rivals than the market is expecting. Any 50/1 or bigger appeals.