Today see’s Day 4 of the Punchestown Festival and it was very much business as usual for Willie Mullins as he had another three winners across the card yesterday. The highlights of an action packed day were no doubt Footpad who destroyed his rivals in the Ryanair Novice Chase under Daryl Jacob who made all and effortlessly won by a comfortable twelve lengths and also Faugheen who showed shades of his former self to win the Stayers, leading from start to finish. Away from Punchestown today, there’s two meetings on the level from Sandown and Doncaster whilst there’s National Hunt action from Towcester, Chepstow and up in Scotland in Perth which hosts the Highland National.
My selection this afternoon comes from Sandown, which can also be seen on ITV this afternoon. The 15:35 see’s the market favourite ADDEYBB (11/8) take on seven rivals in the Group 2 Bet365 Mile. This gelding may not be the most original pick but the way he won three of his five races last year gives me great confidence that he will be even better this year. After finishing fourth on debut at Doncaster he got off the mark at Haydock in a 1 mile maiden back in June where he was settled out the back before finishing like a train to claim the spoils.
Off the back of that victory he was sent to Ascot to race in a class 3 race over a mile on rattling quick ground where he once again came out victorious beating Juanito Chico by a neck and showed everyone his versatility when it comes to the surface. Undoubtedly Addeybb two best performances have come off the back of Ascot when he claimed the 9f Silver Cambridgeshire after being sent off 7/2 fav under a cracking ride from Ryan Moore. However just two months ago we saw this four-year-old gelding mae his first appearance this year in the Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster where he destroyed his rivals to win by over two lengths in what was a red hot contest on soft ground.
One concern over today’s race is that this son of Pivotal is that he has now been raised 10lb off the back of that victory in March at Doncaster. James Doyle takes the ride today and when riding 4yo+ on the turf his strike rate equates to a 30% win rate and I’m confident that he is the man for the job this afternoon. The main danger looks set to come from Andrew Balding’s Here Comes When who claimed the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood last August, but he was disappointing when last seen in October finishing ninth in the Queen Elizabeth II stakes at Ascot. Addeybb is currently priced at 11/8 which seems a fair price and I would not want to back him any shorter than this. He’s already been a significant market mover this morning and I wouldn't back against a slight drift before the off. Hopefully the Doyler can give him a peach of a ride and get our weekend off to a flyer.
15:35 Sandown - Group 2 - Bet365 Mile - Addeybb 11/8 - 1pt win
