Donn McClean: Punchestown Festival Day 1 Banker, Next Best And Each-Way Bets
Racing TV pundit Donn McClean is at the heart of the action for The Panel on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival which runs from Tuesday to Saturday.
Donn has picked out a banker, a next best and one each-way tip from Tuesday's races.
Check out his selections below, and use recommended betting sites to ensure you get the best odds.
Donn McClean's Punchestown Tips: Day 1 (Tuesday)
Banker: 16:50 Punchestown - Kitzbuhel
A talented hurdler last season, winner of the Grade 3 Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park, Kitzbuhel has taken his form to a new level this season over fences.
A game winner of his beginners’ chase at Punchestown in November, he was very good in winning the Grade 1 Kauto Star Chase at Kempton on King George day, leading from early, jumping superbly and staying on well to win well.
An early departee in the Scilly Isles Chase at Sandown in January, he bounced back from that and put up the best performance of his life when he won the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
He showed a lot of grit and determination that day to see off the challenge of his stable companion Final Demand.
The return to a right-handed track here should suit him well.
He is two for two at Punchestown, his forward-going style of racing is well suited to the track, he goes well on goodish ground, and he is trained by Willie Mullins and will be ridden by Paul Townend. There are lots of positives.
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Next Best: 16:15 Punchestown - Le Labo
Le Labo could be flying under the radar a little bit in the Grade 1 PRL Champion Novice Hurdle.
Joseph O’Brien’s horse has run just three times over hurdles. He would have beaten Kazansky in a maiden hurdle at Cork in December had he not come down at the final flight, and Kazansky won the Grade 2 Dorans Pride Hurdle at Limerick next time.
Le Labo then went to Naas for the Grade 3 Kingsfurze Novice Hurdle, and did well to win it. Last of the five runners early on, he showed a smart turn of foot off a sedate pace to get up and beat Blake by a neck, the pair of them going clear of their rivals.
Blake is a talented horse. He was only just beaten by Koktail Brut in the Grade 2 Royal Bond Hurdle at Fairyhouse earlier in the season, and he was giving that rival a real race back at Fairyhouse at Easter when he came down at the final flight.
Le Labo is probably going to have to improve on the bare form of that run if he is going to win this, but there is every chance that he will.
That was just his third run over hurdles and he was weak in the market before it, his first run back after a short break.
Out of a half-sister to Champion Hurdle winner Binocular, it was a fair achievement for the Mount Nelson gelding to get off the mark over hurdles in a Grade 3 contest, and he could go forward again from that here at 8/1 with one of the betting apps.
Best Each-Way: 15:40 Punchestown - Putapoundinthejar
Putapoundinthejar was good in winning a handicap hurdle at last year’s Festival, and he could go well again here, back at Punchestown..
He hasn’t won again over hurdles since then, but he ran well in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham in November, and he won on the flat at Bellewstown two weeks ago.
Tony Martin’s horse was good that day, keeping on well to get the better of Superficial, with the pair of them going clear of Obscenity, who ran out an impressive winner of a handicap at Navan on Saturday.
He is 7lb higher in the handicap than he was last year, but he goes into the race in good form, and he should appreciate the return to Punchestown and the return to better ground.
And it is significant that his astute trainer has booked Sean Bowen for the ride again.
