Ladbrokes is back with the latest Paul Townend Puchestown blog, with the leading jockey previewing his rides on Day Three.
Paul Townend Puchestown blog
Judicieuse Allen – 3.40 Punchestown
She has some nice form, she won well at Christmas at Limerick over two-and-a-half-miles and drops back to two miles here. I’m not sure how much of a plus that will be. We were very disappointed when she pulled up behind Jade De Grugy the other day, but her middle two runs aren’t bad.
The better ground might suit her. She carries plenty of weight so she will definitely need a career best to win a competitive handicap at Punchestown. She should run a nice race though and hopefully make the frame.
He was a very promising juvenile last year and has some nice form to call upon this year beating Spillane’s Tower at Navan over two miles and that form is huge. He is generally a very solid jumper and I have no worries in handicap company for the first time. I would give him a big shout.
It’s a small field with only four runners. Il Etait Temps has been to Aintree and won well over two-and-half-miles. He drops back to two miles here. He won the two-mile race at the Dublin Racing Festival. However, with the hood on, Gaelic Warrior seemed to be a different proposition at Cheltenham and beat Il Etait Temps well that day.
Willie [Mullins] also runs Hercule Du Seuil and then Mount Frisco is also in the race. With average luck and a clear round, I would hope Gaelic Warrior is the best here.
He got a confidence booster at Cork over Easter, beating Lucid Dreams. That was a chase and he is back over hurdles here. He is a horse that can mix it up. He wasn’t beaten too far by Teahupoo at Cheltenham.
It will be hard to turn that form around but he is a consistent performer and likes Punchestown. He ran well in the race last year and I think he will run a nice race, but it’ll be very hard to beat the favourite.
He was a good winner for Jody Townend at Fairyhouse winning the Grade 2 Novice Hurdle there and has a bit of experience to call upon in handicap company.
I think the step up in trip will help him even further and I give him a big shout if I can manage to get the same tune out of him as Jody did. I have been beaten on him a few times this year but I think he is an improving horse.
She ran a cracker in the Grade 1 at Fairyhouse with only Jade De Grugy being too good for her. That was a huge run and she seems to have come out of that race well. It was only her second run over hurdles.
She is relatively unexposed and inexperienced, and she will have learned plenty. I think she will take a lot of beating here.
