02-05-2025
Punchestown Festival day 4 tips: Robbie Power's selections for Friday
Constitution Hill is fancied to beat State Man in what is a brilliant clash in the Boodles Champion Hurdle at 6.40.
It will be great to see Constitution Hill run on Irish soil for Nicky Henderson.
I just hope this time we get the race we thought we were going to get at Cheltenham and they can both stay on their feet.
Since Constitution Hill's mishap at Cheltenham he has come down at Aintree as well and obviously State Man had the Champion Hurdle at his mercy when falling at the last.
It's a fascinating race and if they both stay on their feet, I do think Constitution Hill is the best horse and will be very hard to beat.
Tactics-wise it will be interesting to see what way James Bowen rides him.
If I was partnering him, I'd be very keen to make the running and let him go about his business.
But I must also mention Golden Ace, who has now won twice at the Cheltenham Festival.
Although she was fortunate to win the Champion Hurdle this year, she did fly up the hill and her trainer, Jeremy Scott, does think that she is better now than she was when going to Cheltenham.
The Stanley Asphalt Hunters Chase for the Bishopscourt Cup (3.40) is never the strongest of races but the Ian John McCarthy-trained Fountain House has won his last three, including a hunters chase in Thurles.
The trainer does very well with his point-to-pointers so I fancy Fountain House to win the opener.
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Its On The Line has yet to win a race this season, but he won the Event Power Champion Hunters Chase (4.15) last year and is fancied to triumph in this contest again.
It doesn't look as strong a renewal as 12 months ago and it looks like a good opportunity for this eight-year-old to get a well deserved win for Emmet Mullins, JP McManus and Derek O'Connor.
The Mares Chase at 4.50 sees stablemates Dinoblue and Allegorie De Vassy clash again and preference would be for the former.
She does have to give six pounds to Allegorie De Vassy, which does bring them closer, and I think it will be a close race but on the better ground it's very hard to oppose Dinoblue.
Henry de Bromhead runs three in the Novice Handicap Chase at 5.25, with Nara arriving here fresh having not run since winning at Thurles in January, while Theatre Native bolted up at Cheltenham two weeks ago and Native Speaker won at Fairyhouse back in the autumn.
The way the ground is drying out, my preference would be for Theatre Native, who might still be a step ahead of the handicapper after that win at Cheltenham.
The Yellow Clay and Final Demand clash again in the Champion Novice Hurdle at 6.05 after finishing second and third respectively behind The New Lion in the Turners.
But I like the look of Lovely Hurling here for Colm Murphy, JP McManus and Mark Walsh.
Colm knows exactly what way to train a Grade 1 horse, he's had plenty of them over the years.
Lovely Hurling comes here fresh and that could be a big plus for him. Colm decided to sidestep the other big festivals and has targeted this race.
He looks a horse with a lot of promise and I know the trainer thinks an awful lot of him.
Runcok looks like he could be the one for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend in the Uniquely Novice Hurdle at 7.10.
He was beaten five and a half lengths by Irancy, who won here on Tuesday, at Fairyhouse last time out and won a maiden hurdle impressively prior to that and I'd give him a good shout.
Meanwhile, Soldier In Milan is fancied for Emmet Mullins in the bumper at 7.40, having won a point-to-point impressively in March of last year.
Bet of the day - Lovely Hurling - 6.05 Punchestown
