An ultra-competitive handicap chase with the likes of Emmet Mullins’ So Scottish and Willie Mullins handicap debutant Kilcruit bound to be very popular.
With extra places available, I will be having an each way play on Colm Murphy’s MACS CHARM on what could be a big day for the trainer. He won readily on a step up to three miles for the first time at Fairyhouse recently having previously finished runner-up against essentially graded performers in a pair of beginners’ chases.
This is just a fifth start over the larger obstacles for the three time hurdle winner and despite a drop in trip, he is clearly in good heart and at a double figure price is worth a shot.
Readers of this column will know what a huge fan I am of this mare, IMPERVIOUS, trained by Colm Murphy. She landed the nap at Cheltenham for us, beating Allegorie De Vassy who has subsequently been beaten at Fairyhouse by Instit.
She is unbeaten all season over fences, including a grade 3 success at this track and I’m taking her to maintain her unbeaten record here. She is a shade of odds on at time of writing however and although I am not one for taking skinny odds, she will take the world of beating again, with Allegorie De Vassy still yet to convince in the jumping stakes, with a last fence blunder exaggerating Instit’s winning margin.
6.35 PUNCHESTOWN – CHRIS’S DREAM
Hunter Chases would not be my forte I admit, but CHRIS’S DREAM looks to have huge claims of landing the Punchestown Champion Hunters.
Last year’s 1-2 Billaway and Vaucelet lock horns again and Vaucelet may appreciate this less taxing track than at Cheltenham but has four lengths to find on the selection who also looks sure to improve for the switch here.
Billaway meanwhile was an early casualty at Cheltenham and somehow got beat by stablemate Annamix, who was almost tailed off at one point at Fairyhouse three weeks ago.
None of them inspire confidence while Cheltenham runner-up, Its On The Line, had a spill at Becher’s at Aintree a fortnight ago.
The case for CHRIS’S DREAM is solid. He is a former Grade 1 performer who won his first pair of point-to-points readily and will appreciate a right handed track again judging by his jumping at Cheltenham, where he was still in contention before the last, but weakened to be beaten six lengths. He was the best of these under rules, he still has a mid-150s rating and the booking of young John Gleeson, high on confidence from another bumper victory on A Dream To Share on Wednesday, is the final ingredient.
*18+ | BeGambleAware
