The 2015 Punchestown Festival

I'm always suspicious of front running wins in big races.

Two horses that tasted defeat in such race who clash today are Djakadam and Don Cossack.

My own feelings are that run the Gold Cup 10 times and Coneygree would beat Djakadam every time.

However to me the Ryanair was won due to a bit of McCoy magic

He got Uxizandre into such a good rythym and rode the entire field to sleep

Everything went right for him that day but run the race again 10 times and even AP might struggle to repeat the doze.

Don Cossack came bouncing back with a fantastic display at Aintree with none other than AP on board.

He looked like he could go round again and I doubt if the trip will stop him putting up a similar display today.

Djacakdam ran a blinder in the Gold Cup but he ran like a stayer and I reckon Don Cossack will murder him for speed today and take this easily

Don Cossack *** bet for me today
 
Grey said:
Good shout today, Hezz, I was cheering him home myself. He's always been a favourite of mine too.
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Cheers Grey. He ran a cracker, and lucky he did or there would have been a serious boilover! At least the bookies had to take some sort of hit.

I've spoken to a couple of people now who believe Champagne Fever should be put back over hurdles.
Personally, up to yesterday I don't think his jumping showed any signs of an issue. I think he's had a very messy campaign. Fully expected him to run stink yesterday.

A fresh campaign next year, back to bullying 2m Chase's, I think he can be a force again trained by the genius that is WPM.
 
I am genuinely bemused! Bay of Freedom looks magnificent and has improved since Cheltenham. Considering he met with much more trouble than any of the Mullin's horses there (and we beat them all anyway) I can't understand how they can be 6/1, 14/1 16/1 and 33/1 when BOF is 50's. The best form since is Bellshill at Aintree but , on a line through Wait For Me and Joe O'Farrell, he ran exactly the same race (to the pound) as he did at Cheltenham - 6/1 is a ridiculous price and I would take Supasundae any day of the week. I am excited about the race and Bay of Freedom looks amazing value to me!
 
I wonder if Ruby chose to ride CF because of the small chance he'd look an idiot if he rode Felix and Champagne won. A bit like when Pat Eddery chose Tenby over Commander in Chief
 
For sure I think there's an element of that Euronymous. 1 of many elements mind, probably not the deal breaker.
 
I can't wait to see Don Cossack and Coneygree taking each other on next year. Preferably with Vautour thrown in for good measure.

The Gold Cup form is holding up very well - Djakadam & Road To Riches confirmed their relative placings and ran creditably against a serious horse (I doubt B Cooper will make the mistake of picking RtR over DC again!), SC came out and won a G1 at Aintree with Holywell 3rd, Many Clouds won the National...starting to look like a bit of a classic in hindsight.
 
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Cruella said:
SC came out and won a G1 at Aintree with Holywell 3rd, Many Clouds won the National...starting to look like a bit of a classic in hindsight.
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not in hindsight for me..i said Coneygree was a 180 horse at the time..and DC ran to that level ..maybe higher..at Aintree..a serious horse as is the GC winner

its the official handicapper who thought the GC was poor only rating the winner 172..way out imo..a joke of a rating
 
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Cruella said:
I can't wait to see Don Cossack and Coneygree taking each other on next year. Preferably with Vautour thrown in for good measure.

The Gold Cup form is holding up very well - Djakadam & Road To Riches confirmed their relative placings and ran creditably against a serious horse (I doubt B Cooper will make the mistake of picking RtR over DC again!), SC came out and won a G1 at Aintree with Holywell 3rd, Many Clouds won the National...starting to look like a bit of a classic in hindsight.
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Though it was run at a decent pace, it was nothing like as attritional as the CGC (a blanket would have covered the lot 3 or 4 out) and I'd still favour Coneygree in similar circumstances, come next March.
 
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Confirms Don Cossack will be in the shake up for the big one next season.
Djak has run a stormer after the Gold Cup. If he makes the step up from 6-7. Bring it on.
Please let them all get to next years race. What a race that will be.
 
Anyone else notice Hurricane Fly's betfair place odds drift out to 3.5 momentarily there????
 
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Frankel said:
Confirms Don Cossack will be in the shake up for the big one next season.
Djak has run a stormer after the Gold Cup. If he makes the step up from 6-7. Bring it on.
Please let them all get to next years race. What a race that will be.
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Coneygree
Vautour
Don Poli
Don Cossack
Djakadam
Road to Riches
Saphir De Rheu

could be really good
 
As soon as Don Poli hits 10/1 I'm stepping in. He clearly bounced yesterday having had a hard race at Cheltenham with no prep.
 
Jezki's always needed a sterner test than HF, and with a stone in hand of the rest this really ought to be a formality.
 
Had the pleasure of meeting Paul before and after BOF race yesterday. He is actually as pleasant in real life as he is on here.

I'll leave it to him to share the post mortem as he the one paying the bills.
 
an capall said:
Had the pleasure of meeting Paul before and after BOF race yesterday. He is actually as pleasant in real life as he is on here.

I'll leave it to him to share the post mortem as he the one paying the bills.
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and the same can be said of you Colm; a true pleasure to meet you!

As regards BOF there are no excuses; he just isn't quick enough over 2 miles at this level. He wasn't disgraced in either Grade I and he has given me enormous enjoyment so far. His form in bumpers has been a great, and surprising, bonus but now it's down to the real thing and we will be looking for a maiden hurdle in the near future; the problem is: so will everyone else. Ultimately he will be at his best over 3 miles and, hopefully, over fences - we always knew that based on breeding. For anyone interested, this is a link to a (very short, don't blink) video of him schooling over hurdles https://vimeo.com/123773498 (He's jumping lower now but you'll get the idea)

I genuinely have appreciated the support of people on this forum so far and look forward to being a member for many years. First of all though, I need to redeem whatever reputation I have in this Punchestown Competition!!
 
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Euronymous said:
As soon as Don Poli hits 10/1 I'm stepping in. He clearly bounced yesterday having had a hard race at Cheltenham with no prep.
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Hit 12's at Lads for a little while surprisingly.
Djakadam drifted after the race yesterday. Taking that as a personal insult.
 
Don for sure has been a revelation this season; great to see him hold his form so well.
It just shows that a well spaced out well thought out plan you can get a very good season out of a top horse.
Jezki has Punchestown Festival form to die for over the past few years and today could crown him a top top horse and Mark Walsh a top top jockey.#Wishing them both all the best.
 
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