Rachael Blackmore Punchestown Festival Day 5: Murcia can go well in Champion 4yo Hurdle

• Lightly-raced The Short Go can enjoy step up in trip

• July Flower and Majectic Force are in really good form

• Looking forward to riding Aintree winner Murcia

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15:05 Punchestown - The Short Go

I ride The Short Go in the opening handicap chase at Punchestown on Saturday over almost four miles.

He didn't run badly in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March, he kept on well to finish fifth. He is stepping up in trip here, and I think that that will suit him.  He stays well.

He came out of Cheltenham well and he goes into the race in good form. He's a lightly raced horse, and we're hoping that he will go well.

15:42 Punchestown - July Flower

July Flower was good in winning at Leopardstown at Christmas on her first run since May.  She finished fifth behind Lossiemouth in the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham next time, she has just over five lengths to find with Jade De Grugy on that run, and Brighterdaysahead is obviously in there too, but that was just July Flower's second run of the season, so hopefully she can improve on that.

She has come out of the race well, she's in really good form at home, she looks really well, and we're hoping that she can run well.

16:15 Punchestown - Majestic Force

Majestic Force runs in the Pat Taaffe Handicap Chase over three miles and half a furlong.  She stayed on well to win her beginners' chase over three miles in Wexford last time, and she came out of the race well.

She was only just caught by Spindleberry in a beginners' chase in Cork in December, the two of them clear, and Spindleberry has won her two races since, including the Grade 1 WillowWarm Gold Cup at Fairyhouse at Easter.  That is strong-looking form now.

Majestic Force is in really good form at home, and she has a lovely light weight on her back, so we're looking forward to her here. 

16:50 Punchestown - Murcia

It's great to get the ride on Murcia again for Willie Mullins and Kenny Alexander in the Champion Four Year Old Hurdle.

I rode her in the Fred Winter Hurdle at Cheltenham, and she ran well for a long way, finishing within less than nine lengths behind the winner in the end. She stepped forward from that at Aintree last time when she won the Grade 1 Anniversary Hurdle there, when she had the Fred Winter winner behind her in third, where she seemed to enjoy the flatter track.

This is obviously a good race, the Triumph Hurdle winner and runner-up are in there, but I hope that Murcia can run well again.

17:25 Punchestown - Kalix Delabarriere

I've picked up another really nice ride for Willie Mullins in the listed handicap hurdle in Kalix Delabarriere.

He didn't seem to run any kind of race at Fairyhouse last week, he stopped quite quickly, so hopefully we can just draw a line through that.

He beat this year's Aintree mares' bumper winner Seo Linn in a bumper at Ballinrobe last summer, and he kept on well to win his maiden hurdle at Naas in February on soft ground.

Hopefully he will enjoy the return to better ground here, and I hope that he can go well off a lovely light weight.

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