This Diamond in the rough is ready to sparkle at Punchestown
What a fantastic week we're having here at Punchestown, it's great to enjoy such quality racing in glorious sunshine.
Let's start our look at day three's card with the feature race, the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers' Hurdle (6.0). I think we could get a funny result here.
Many of the main protagonists don't appreciate quick going conditions. Teahupoo, Home By The Lee, Crambo, Asterion Forlonge, they all prefer the rain. With that in mind, I'm going to go for an outsider, and I think Declan Queally's Rocky's Diamond could spring something of a surprise. Rocky's Diamond winning at Gowran Park earlier this year. Pic: INPHO/Morgan Treacy
Despite his win in the Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park and his promising run when fourth in the Cheltenham equivalent, I think this guy will actually improve for drying ground conditions, given his breeding.
Hiddenvalley Lake will be tough to beat but Rocky's Diamond, under Shane Fitzgerald, might just spring a surprise for the Dungarvan family.
The Barberstown Castle Novice Chase (5.25) over two miles is a foregone conclusion — if Majborough jumps, he wins. Majborough at the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown earlier this year. Pic: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
Despite throwing his chance away at the Cheltenham Festival with multiple jumping mistakes, he still only got beaten less than a length by Jango Baie and Only By Night, who reopposes.
He was never considered a bad jumper before Cheltenham, and I hope he'll put that right with a clear round of jumping here. That would be giving Willie Mullins his 12th win in this race.
The Close Brothers Mares' Novice Hurdle is at 4.50. Plenty of these have had busy campaigns, including running in the Grade One Honeysuckle Hurdle over Easter at Fairyhouse.
One filly that skipped that assignment was Sixandahalf and that was due to the rain softening the ground — how a couple of days make such a difference. Sixandahalf racing at Cheltenham in March. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
The sunshine here will really be up her street. The quick ground and the trip will really bring out the best in her, because I consider her a very speedy filly. Rachael Blackmore picked her pocket at Cheltenham so make no mistake Keith Donoghue will be playing his cards late here.
Both are likely odds-on favourites, Sixandahalf and Majborough could be two for a double.
The Conway Piling Handicap Hurdle (4.15) run over just shy of three miles is a hugely difficult puzzle for which I'm going to side with Flicker Of Hope for Mark Fahey.
Disappointing in the Albert Bartlett Grade One at Cheltenham last time, I think there's more to come from this six-year-old and I'm willing to give him another chance. His run behind Perceval Legallois at the Dublin Racing Festival is an encouraging one, and with Conor StoneWalsh taking three pounds off his allotted weight of 11st 2lb, I think he has an each-way chance to make an impression in a big field. Perceval Legallois and Flicker Of Hope battle it out at the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown earlier this year. Pic: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
The Frontline Security Handicap Chase (3.05) over two miles is a prize headed for export, in my opinion.
We saw the British horses hit the board on the first day of the Festival, and I expect they might just take home a few more euros here, too courtesy of No 13, Keep Running.
Warren Greatrex has plundered prizes at this Festival before and this guy had a solid run at Kempton in February behind Bad, before which he showed his aptitude for quick ground by winning at Ludlow and Ffos Las.
I think this guy with the newly crowned British champion jockey Sean Bowen aboard can make a big impression. The opening race of the day is the Specialist Group Handicap Hurdle (2.30). Trainer Gavin Cromwell. Pic: INPHO/Morgan Treacy
The Other Mozzie carries top weight in this, but for a good reason. If he were running over fences, he would be running off a rating of 145, but he is running off his hurdle rating today of 119. That's obviously attractive.
And that combined with the fact that I think he'll appreciate good ground conditions suggests to me that he is well handicapped. He disappointed behind Caldwell Potter in the novice handicap chase at the Cheltenham Festival, but reverting to hurdles could be an inspired move by Gavin Cromwell.
He's still only a six-year-old and I think The Other Mozzie can justify his burden of top weight in the opener to get us off to a flying start.
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