SEAN - Punchestown 12.45 - Handicap Hurdle - 3 miles 1/2 furlong - 17 run - Soft / Heavy

 

Quest With Speed is quickly out with a 7lbs penalty after a win on Tuesday and heads the market along with BOB CIGAR from the Elliott yard who has a very similar unexposed profile to a stablemate who won this race last year. They are using the much tighter INNER TRACK here and no doubt BOB CIGAR will have been well schooled and place by Elliott so at anything better than 3/1 I suggest a win saver bet.

 

At very big Odds Wa Wa is bang out of form but off a sliding mark would be of real interest off any mark below 100, its down to 111 so I'm adding to TRACKER to follow tis one closely over the next few months. Benkei, It Could Be You and Cher Why Not are in the TRACKER here together with TAKARENGO.

 

I'm most keen on DR VAL, who is proven and a Course and Distance winner on this quirky Inner Hurdles Track, that was off a mark of 98 last Spring and its had a run so should be fit enough to run a big race off a mark of 101. TAKERENGO has often been highly tried and unfairly attacked as a no-hoper in big races but is at heart a capable lower level Handicapper and I really like its chances here. A mark of 114 with a 7lbs Claimer up actually jumps off the page and conditions are ideal. BALLYCASHIN is another at a price who caught my eye, upped in trip but with one very promising run at just shy of 3 miles, I think Track, Conditions suit, a nice mark and the step up in trip should find some improvement.

 

Tips (win-saver) Bob Cigar / (2) Dr Val / (3s) Takarengo / (4s) Ballycashin