29-04-2025
Punchestown Festival 2025 day 1 tips: Robbie Power's selections for Tuesday
Fact To File is strongly fancied to land the William Hill Champion Chase (6.00), the feature race on day one of the Punchestown Festival.
Dropping to two miles shouldn't be an issue for the Ryanair Chase winner and a big galloping track like Punchestown should play to his strengths.
It's a great clash between him and Champion Chase victor Marine Nationale and it should be really exciting to see, but I do think it will be JP McManus' green and gold silks that are carried to victory by Mark Walsh for Willie Mullins.
The Closutton trainer has a really good record in this race, having won five of the last six renewals, and he could land another here.
Another Mullins runner, Kopek Des Bordes, can maintain his unbeaten record by following up his Supreme Novices' Hurdle win with another victory in the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle at 4.15.
It's very hard to oppose him under Paul Townend, but stablemate Salvator Mundi is a course and distance winner, which will help, as will the drying ground.
But on drying ground at Cheltenham he was no match for Kopek Des Bordes and I think the Monabeg Investments Limited-owned runner will come home in front again.
The Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase comes next at 4.50 and this is a very competitive Grade 1, in which you can make a case for a number of runners.
Lecky Watson was very impressive at Cheltenham when finishing eight and a half lengths ahead of Ballyburn in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase.
All of Slade Steel's really good form is on soft ground, but we think he'll appreciate nicer ground and stepping up to three miles will definitely suit him.
But Ballyburn could be very hard to beat. I think they got the tactics totally wrong on him in Cheltenham.
I can see them letting him gallop along in front today and if gets into a rhythm he will be very difficult to get past for the Mullins team.
I wouldn't have a strong knowledge on the form of the point-to-pointers in today's opening race (2.30), but one that looks interesting is Richard O'Keeffe's runner, Turnupdevolume.
He won a point-to-point a little over two weeks ago and jockey Barry Thomas Stone takes off a valuable seven pounds here.
There's a really strong British challenge in the Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series Final Handicap Hurdle and a number of runners from across the Irish Sea look very interesting in it.
One that really stands out is Boyles Hill for Welsh trainer Evan Williams, with his daughter Isabel, who is a very capable jockey, taking the ride.
This six-year-old has won his last two starts and Evan Williams wouldn't be sending one over here if he didn't think he had a very good chance.
Lark In The Mornin is at the top of the market for the Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle at 3.40 despite being a little bit disappointing at Cheltenham when finishing third last in the County Hurdle, although he wasn't beaten that far.
But the one I'm siding with is Serienmond, who won at Leopardstown in March before finishing third at Fairyhouse last week when only beaten 2¼ lengths by winner Lord Erskine.
The strongest line of form in the Goffs Defender Bumper at 5.25 is Santo Sospir for Gordon Elliott and Harry Swan after winning here earlier in the season.
But it is very interesting that Nicky Henderson has brought over Laguna Beach in the colours of Michael Buckley and he could run a very big race.
And in the last race on the card at 6.35 Starting Fifteen is fancied for Emmet McNamara after finishing second on debut at Limerick in March.
Bet of the day - Fact To File - 6.00
