Outlaw Pete (blue cap) in action before going on to win last year's Irish Field Chase© Photo Healy Racing
Alan Magee goes through the final day of the Punchestown Festival, race-by-race.
2.30
OUTLAW PETE has built up an enviable record in cross-country events, and was in the process of running another big race when a casualty with about a mile to go here on Thursday in the La Touche. Winner of this race last year, he also landed a cross-country event at Cheltenham in December before making the frame behind Big Shu at the Festival last month. He may handle these testing conditions a bit better than a number of his chief rivals, and appears to have bottomless reserves of stamina. Shakervilz filled the runner-up spot at Cheltenham behind Big Shu and has the beating of the selection on that run. However he hasn’t shown the same level of ability over this course in the past, and stablemate Uncle Junior may prove a bigger threat. Zest For Life scored over course and distance in the Ladies Cup on Tuesday but this represents a much tougher task.
3.10
MIKAEL D’HAGUENET is certainly not one for the faint-hearted over fences but could still come out on top here in a race where Willie Mullins holds a very strong hand. The former top class novice hurdler has been let down by his jumping on more than one occasion in the past but there’s no doubt that he still possesses a fair engine. Stablemate Aupcharlie is the obvious one to take advantage of any error by the selection. He appeared to be just outstayed a couple of times in high class three-mile novice events and the drop back to this trip is not a worry. However he does need to put a disappointing effort at Cheltenham last month behind him. Connections of Grey Gold will be happy with the testing conditions but this represents a big step up in class.
3.45
Normally in testing conditions I would tend to look well down the weights for a selection but it could pay to keep a close eye on the top of the handicap here with On His Own and WYCH HILL both appealing. Everything seemed to happen just a bit too quickly for the latter in the Racing Plus Chase on unsuitable good ground at Kempton but he’s better judged on previous impressive wins on the soft including a defeat of the progressive Katenko at Ascot. On His Own has a similar lightly-raced upward profile, and the powerfully built gelding will have no trouble shouldering top-weight. He was laid out for the Grand National this season but didn’t get into a good jumping rhythm, and was being pushed along when falling at Valentines on the second circuit. His last win over fences came on testing ground in the Thyestes Chase.
4.25
The absence of Annie Power has done little to diminish the challenge of the powerful Mullins yard here, and Ruby Walsh elects to ride impressive recent Cork winner TARLA. She seemed to relish the return to hurdles following a couple of chase falls, and looked right up to her best in dishing out a five-length defeat to Rebel Fitz in the mud at Cork. Glens Melody has held her form well this term in mares races over this type of trip and ground, and should again take a share of the valuable prize-money. There’s not much to choose between Swincombe Flame and Shadow Eile (now 5lb better off for three lengths) on running behind Quevega at Cheltenham. However their close proximity to the great mare should not be taken too literally as Mullins since admitted that she was sluggish on the day and not as race fit as he produced her this week. Oilily needs good ground to show her best.
5.00
Our Conor would have gone off a very short price here following his runaway Triumph Hurdle success. His absence has produced a much more open contest, although a couple more non-runners and we would have been forced to call in the monopoly commission with Mullins supplying four of the six to line-up. Ruby Walsh has gone for DIAKALI and that’s not surprising considering his respectable second to Our Conor in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown and more distant fourth in the Triumph. On that Leopardstown run he has the beating of Blood Cotil, who in turn accounted for Stocktons Wing in a Grade 2 at the Foxrock track over Christmas. One Fine Day showed improvement to score on better ground at Fairyhouse last time but conditions will not be in her favour here.
5.35
The winners’ enclosure at Punchestown is usually the best port of call in search of Willie Mullins and, at the risk of repeating myself, he could provide the answer here again with MAKE YOUR MARK. The lightly-raced gelding showed the benefit of an initial outing this term at Fairyhouse when running a cracker in the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. He didn’t enjoy the clearest of passages on that occasion and, with the prospect of further improvement, could be good enough here. Dangers abound in this wide open contest including another in the Gigginstown colours, Il Fenomeno, who showed improved form when successful over two miles here earlier this week. Art Professor hails from a yard which deserves the utmost respect, while the progressive Vics Canvas is another to consider for the short list.
6.10
Jane Mangan has built up a successful association with the Gigginstown colours this season, and JERUSALEM BELLS looks an interesting newcomer. The Kalanisi half-brother to Dylan Ross cost 94,000 euro at the Derby Sale last year, and any market support would be interesting. Another to catch the eye on pedigree is Millerina, by Milan out of the great racemare Solerina, while Swift Harry cost 18,000 euro at the Land Rover Sale last year and is a half-brother to Diamond Harry. Of those to have appeared in public, Martello Tower won a point-to-point in decent fashion at Ballyragget last month, while High Handel has obviously had some problems since a wide-margin success at Dromahane two years ago.
