Gm, Equinauts

Punchestown day… what are we on now? Three, no… four. Yep, day four. Don’t forget the fifth and final day tomorrow…yuk.

NO ONE NEEDS FIVE DAYS OF PUNCHESTOWN.

Anyway, it is what it is. We have to write about it — and thank the Lord we’ve actually produced a few winners — but it doesn’t get our racing juices flowing…

You know what does?

THE FIRST CLASSIC MEETING OF THE F*CKING YEAR!

Happy Guineas Meeting, Day 1.

This is the time to deposit money into your Tote account (if you haven’t already), try the Placepot today, and have your ammo ready for the World Pool on Saturday.: Tote | Offers

Let’s dive in!

GUINEAS MEETING DAY 1

Newmarket’s famous GUINEAS MEETING kicks off today warming us up nicely for the 2000 Guineas for the boys tomorrow and then the 1000 Guineas for girls on Sunday.

The big race today is the Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes which has been won previously by the likes of Irish Derby winner HURRICANE LANE (who is now enjoying himself in the covering shed!).

15.30 1M 4F GROUP 2 JOCKEY CLUB STAKES

Bar the big anomaly in 9yo OUTBOX who bellied his odds of 50/1 to land the 2024 running of this race, previous winners have been younger 4, 5 and 6yo’s who have benefitted from a run.

SANTORINI STAR is making his seasonal debut, so hasn’t had a run yet but is being supported at the top of the market at 100/30. His best wins have come over further so there is reason to believe this might happen all to quickly for him today, especially on the fast ground.

FRENCH MASTER is also making his seasonal debut but that hasn’t meant much to the older horses the Gosden’s have been unleashing recently. This lad is by the GOAT FRANKEL out of a SEAS THE STARS mare, so the ground should be no problem but the step down in trip is a concern given he’s been tried over 2m last year.

LIONS PRIDE has had two runs which is a huge box ticked for this race and both were in Group company. His most recent effort was in Newbury’s SUPRISE STAKES, which is the same route HURRICANE LANE and last years winner BELUM JUSTUM took before landing this pot.

SUNWAY should be looking very well in the pre’s having had the benefit of the desert sun on his back after his recent wintering in Dubai. He’s be as fit as a flea but everything suggests he wants slower ground.

EYDON goes well fresh and reps Balding who won the race last year. We really don’t know much about his pedigree but he is a fast ground winner at HQ ad that form puts him well into the mix.

PARADIAS will be cherry ripe but should have too much to find.

Verdict: No strong view here but LIONS PRIDE for the Gosden’s ticks a lot of boxers. He seems to be getting better with age, loves the fast ground and has had perfect prep coming into this race. He’d be the tentative vote here.

PUNCHESTOWN DAY 4

18.00 2M 4F GRADE 1 NOVICE HURDLE

If the market is right, then this simply goes to KING RASKO GREY who is the shortest price of the meeting so far at 7/4 on after his Cheltenham romp.

How much did that exertion take out of this son of GALIWAY? Punchestown has a bad habit of getting the best horses beat so punters will surely be looking for the ew against.

Bloom owns the second fave trained by Mullins too. He owns a deep NH pedigree bt has performed best in slop and might, just might want to ground slower today.

ECHOING SILENCE is a Listed winning mare and reps de Bromhead. The ground will be fine and the return to a longer trip will suit. She gets a mares allowance.

Of the rest, BON VIVEUR is unexposed. Last seen winning well when stepped up in trip, this similar test might see a big run at a whopper price.

Verdict: Mullins’ favourites have won this race and on that basis you’d think KING RASKO GREY is simply one for the perms. ECHOING SILENCE could be the ew swing at 8/1.

18.40 2M GRADE 1 CHAMPION HURDLE

When LOSSIEMOUTH steered away from the mares and won the Champion Hurdle, she etched her name into NH racing history. She’s a certified hall of famer:

She should win and win well today to land the distance bets.

Verdict: LOSSIEMOUTH by 10 or more.

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