Rachael Blackmore on Wednesday at Punchestown: Gold Cup trip will suit Envoi Allen

• Senior Chief is an improving horse

• More rain the better for Harry Des Ongrais

• Envoi Allen comes out of Cheltenham very well

A lovely ride awaits

16:15 - Senior Chief

Senior Chief won well at Navan the last day, and I think that there is more to come from him.

That was just his third race over hurdles, and he has won two of them, including his maiden hurdle over this course and distance.

He kept on well to beat a good horse at Navan last time, a 135-rated horse, with the two of us pulling well clear. He remains lightly raced, I think that he is an improving horse, and he's a lovely ride to have in this race.

Will appreciate the drop in trip

16:45 - Tag Man

I ride Tag Man in the Louis Fitzgerald Hurdle, a race for horses who have not won more than one race over hurdles.

Tag Man hasn't won at all yet over hurdles, but he did win his bumper at last year's Punchestown Festival, he kept on well to beat Sir Argus and Monbeg Park, who is now rated 137 over hurdles.

His run in a two-and-a-half-mile maiden hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas was a good run too, when he finished second to Good Land, who won a Grade 1 race next time and finished fourth in the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham.

He was beaten last time at Fairyhouse over two miles, but he should appreciate the return to two and a half here, and a reproduction of his Leopardstown run would give him a good chance.

More rain the better

17:20 - Harry Des Ongrais

This is a big step up in grade for Harry Des Ongrais, into a Grade 1 race, but he's a lovely type of horse who stays well, and he's entitled to take his chance.

The more rain the better for him. He won his maiden hurdle on heavy ground at Wexford in October, and he ran two good races in Thurles and Limerick on heavy ground. He wasn't beaten far by Favori De Champdou in either.

He was beaten in a novices' handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse at Easter, but that was his first run since December, and the ground was on the quick side for him. If the ground is slow on Wednesday, that should help him, and he should be able to run a nice race.

A real chance in the Gold Cup

17:55 - Envoi Allen

Envoi Allen was brilliant at Cheltenham. He always travelled well for me in the Ryanair Chase, and he stayed on strongly to win well.

It was great to see him back, because he had disappointed in the King George at Kempton. We just had to put a line through that run, and it was great that he was able to prove at Cheltenham that it just wasn't his running.

This is a cracking Punchestown Gold Cup, with the first two from the Cheltenham Gold Cup lining up again, as well as Hewick, who was running a massive race at Cheltenham when he came down at the second last fence.

But Envoi Allen has come out of Cheltenham really well, and he goes there with a real chance. He's obviously a horse who has lots of ability, and I don't think that anyone would be surprised if he runs a big race here.

Three miles at Punchestown should suit him well, and I am really looking forward to riding him.