Punchestown Festival 2022

[Odin]

Don't see it happening when it's 44k to the winner of the sales race (Vs 73k to winner of grade 1)... And they specifically got him qualified for the sales race. It would be a flabbergastingly strange bit of race planning if he did go 3 miler anyway
... Or maybe my race planning eye isn't as good as I thought it was!

I officially don't know what I'm talking about any more.

[Spectre]

I think there's a couple of things to bear in mind with the Sir Gerhard vs Dysart Dynamo clash.

Firstly people point to Sir G being turned over by Kilcruit last year as a potential achilles heal at Punchestown this time around, but remember that the suggestion was that Sir G ran flat because of the change in feed and having not fully settled at Closutton after the transfer from Elliott's. He got away with it at Cheltenham, but not by the time Punchestown came around. Willie then said he turned inside out over the Summer and came back a much better and stronger horse this season when he settled into the daily routine and he had adapted to the feed.

Also Willie's decision to push Sir G up to the Ballymore and leave DD to the Supreme, wasn't because he doesn't see Sir G as a 2 miler, just that DD was far too keen to step up in trip whereas Sir G would have been fine for either race. He split them because he wanted to keep them apart which he'd said he's do from the outset.

Essentially I don't buy the reasons put forward for DD winning tomorrow, or that he should be shorter in the betting. That doesn't mean DD can't win, just that I think Sir Gerhard is the better horse on everything I've seen so far. I know Sir G didn't jump particularly well at the DRF, but either side of that he was low and fast, whereas DD has been big and cumbersome, and comes into this having fallen at the Festival. Sir G is just more professional in every way. DD won't thrive until he settles, at which point he will be much better up in trip.

The big prices for Sir G have gone now, and I wouldn't advocate a bet at odds on (perhaps in multis), but I think he's pretty solid tomorrow.

[Atlantic Viking]

That 3m novice hurdle is a belter of a line-up.

[archie]

Wednesday's declared runners:

https://www.irishracing.com/allraces?meeting=Punchestown_Wed_27th_Apr&prc=071&prd=20220427

[robith]

Posted in General Chat but Tony Keenan's piece on Mullins is must reading

https://www.attheraces.com/blogs/irish-angle/20-april-2022/fairyhouse-rewind-and-punchestown-preview

In particular this:

[Eggs]

….Willie Mullins on his runner's;

https://www.sportinglife.com/racing/news/willie-mullins-punchestown-festival-including-energumene-and-chacun-pour-soi/200238

[Benjy23]

Both bumpers. O'Keeffe rode hurdles debut.

[Exar Essay]

Patrick's won on him twice which I don't see as a negative. Patrick was very positive about him running well at the track again last week.I do think he'll have too much pace for Sir G on this track.

We’re both bumpers or did he ride his first win over hurdles?

[Benjy23]

Patrick picked up couple of great rides in DD and CPS. Neither can have been easy choices for Townend. With the bumpers as well he could have a very good day / week.

[Lobos]

Patrick's won on him twice which I don't see as a negative. Patrick was very positive about him running well at the track again last week.I do think he'll have too much pace for Sir G on this track.

[Exar Essay]

I think Dysart’s a weapon, but Willie’s comments in the SL tour don’t sound hugely positive. Also, Patrick on board is a strange one. Willie’s got Danny and both O’Keefe’s who’d do a better job over obstacles in my view.

[Lobos]

Me too Darlojim. I want him as cover for Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdle but am holding off as I think he may find DD too sharp around Punchestown and we'll then get 10's for March.

[darlojim]

Willie decides Dysart Dynamo has a better chance of winning the Supreme than Sir Gerhard now Sir Gerhard is fav to beat DD over the shorter trip ?? that is kinda odd..

I suppose it could be they felt Dysart might not get 2m5f and that was the main reason but it doesn't change the fact there's a massive drop in trip and going change Sir G will have to contend with.

I will be firmly in the Dysart Dynamo camp as long as he doesn't go off like a bat out of hell again

Sir Gerhard won the champion bumper on good to soft? He has all the speed in the world, I'm probably a little bias as I'm his biggest fan but I am a little apprehensive of the race due to the fact he got beat here last year with no apparent excuses, maybe the course doesn't suit him, we'll see.

[Lobos]

Don't see it happening when it's 44k to the winner of the sales race (Vs 73k to winner of grade 1)... And they specifically got him qualified for the sales race. It would be a flabbergastingly strange bit of race planning if he did go 3 miler anyway
... Or maybe my race planning eye isn't as good as I thought it was!

Nail on head Odin

[Josh123]

Dont know how you couldn't have been impressed with SG in the Ballymore - was a great effort in my eyes on his first time at that trip on heavy going. Excellent run by a dual festival winner.

Willie decides Dysart Dynamo has a better chance of winning the Supreme than Sir Gerhard now Sir Gerhard is fav to beat DD over the shorter trip ?? that is kinda odd..

I suppose it could be they felt Dysart might not get 2m5f and that was the main reason but it doesn't change the fact there's a massive drop in trip and going change Sir G will have to contend with.

I will be firmly in the Dysart Dynamo camp as long as he doesn't go off like a bat out of hell again