Tony Keenan's Top Irish Racing Tips for Today's Punchestown Action

It has taken a while, but for the first time all winter if feels as if the Willie Mullins yard is finally rolling with 11 winners across the last five Irish racing days and that should continue this afternoon at Thurles where the trainer has six runners. Jade De Grugy has little meaningful opposition in the Grade 2 Carey Glass Irish EBF Mares Novice Chase at 14:15 while Mullins has four of the five runners in the Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase at 15:20. I thought the sole exception in that race, Monbeg Park, ran better than his midfield finish in the Paddy Power last time, returning from a short break and stretched by the three-mile trip but doing well to still be involved at the last despite racing down the seemingly unfavoured inner. He may be able to outrun his odds. Mullins also has the favourite in the W.T. O'Grady & E.J. O'Grady Memorial Irish EBF Novice Hurdle at 13:10 where recent stable switcher Espresso Milan steps up in trip after a maiden hurdle win over two miles at Punchestown. The Gordon Elliott challenge is strong here too with American Jukebox an interesting runner. He would be hard to fancy on his form prior to last time but looked a different horse at Tramore with cheekpieces on, making all to beat one with a reasonable level of form, a big jump at the last suggesting there was more in the tank. A couple of the favourites in the Most Stylish Racegoers Handicap Hurdle at 13:40 are making their handicap debuts and might be vulnerable to something with more experience and Someone’s Wish could fit that bill. He is better than this last two national hunt runs, a pair of eighth place finishes, at least. Travelling well in rear at over fences at Down Royal in October, he was making headway before a mistake two out ended his chance and was not knocked about afterwards. Connections went to Dundalk for three runs after that and he was back over hurdles at Leopardstown over Christmas when he shaped quite well behind a stablemate, again held up and having little chance from his position before keeping on late. This is a class drop, and he looks a little overpriced. In the Support Thurles Bookmakers Handicap Chase (14:50), BRAVE FORTUNE might be one of the more solid options on a difficult card. He is a previous course winner which is no surprise given he enjoys decent ground, his record on yielding of faster reading:213131. He caught the eye on chase debut at Tipperary back in May, jumping cleanly in the main and coming home well from rear to finish third under a ride that looked about education, while the form could hardly have worked out better for a summer jumps race – the four horses around him are now rated 157, 148, 143 and 140, and have won a number of good pots since, not just in the summer. He won easily next time at Roscommon, again jumping well, and it is easy to forgive his last recent run at Fairyhouse, his first in six months since a move to Joseph O’Brien and on ground much softer than ideal. His new yard has been in good heart since Christmas and while he stays further, there is plenty of pace in this race to make it a test. Provided the ground doesn’t soften too much, he has decent claims. Published at 08:54 GMT on 18/01/26