Punchestowns

Ryanair is made for him....why not?

Ryanair Reyes.

RA is a 'poor' champ race. Punches could win that with his eyes shut.

Bigger and better awaits!!

Not sure he's a tough enough stayer.

Think they'll go Gold Cup tbh. A classy beast no doubt, the way he breezed past the useful yardstick Tchico Polos last season after that big mistake shows that.

Injured himself in the RSA and hardly an ideal prep, if he's back to his best (and jumping a bit better) he will be a major threat in any race he shows up in imo

world hurdle doesn't seem a bad shout....henderson does keep saying that he'd like another crack at BB with punchestowns doesn't he.

re WH, somewhat bizarrely there's talk of LR going for this race...?

you've picked the wrong one Nicky!

here Joist!

starts Dec 3rd at Sandown - think same race Barber's won 2 or 3 yrs ago (prob the last race he did win)

LR going for the WH is tempting,imo. He clearly cant jump fences that well and is very similar to Big Bucks in that respect, and he is also a 5yo just like BB was when he went over hurdles. It could be the making of him, and it is tempting to have a bit of the 33/1 imo

would not back Punchestowns in any chase myself,not sure about his jumping.

well, nothing i saw yesterday (what i could see!) convinced me that i'm wrong about trip.

Please Nicky, bring him back in trip (i know you read this...)

Still think QMCC is viable.

World Hurdle the way to go only danger to Bucks/

Reyes, I think a lot of Hendo's best horse are improving for a run this season. Whilst I agree a drop in trip could suit, i'd still not rule out three miles just yet. Pride of Dulcote loves soft and gets the trip well. Stable also on fire at the moment.

love to see punchestown back over the hurdles over 3m. big bucks is very good but no horse is unbeatable and if theres something wrong with bb or if hes switched to chasing, punchestowns will be almost guaranteed to win each race. im sure if bb switches to chasing there will be a flock to the 3m hurdle races but of those punchestowns will more than likely be the best

Reyes you are so right, i have said for two seasons that this horse is not a thorough stayer. Ryanair is the right trip, he can win that then go onto Aintree and win the Melling.

Dont jump well enough to win any decent chase at the festival.
Hurdles his best chance imo

BUdd - names the mistakes he has made - besides the race where he was injured... 1 at Sandown? I'll forgive him 1 error.

Next month's Aon Chase at Newbury is the most likely next port of call for Nicky Henderson's Punchestowns.

The talented eight-year-old was beaten just a head by the equally promising Pride Of Dulcote on his seasonal reappearance at Newbury last month.

He holds an entry in a graduation chase at Haydock this weekend but a return to Berkshire on February 12 is on his agenda, according to his in-form trainer.

"I think the Aon Chase is the most likely target for him and he's in good form," the Seven Barrows handler told At The Races.

"He worked on Saturday and I was very pleased with him at Newbury.

"People were impressed with the winner but he would have a lot of improvement in him."

RC,watch the RSA again mate

fwiw, Punchestowns form at 21f or less reads 11111.
At distances of 22f+ reads 312252. It might also be worth noting that although 2 losses were to BB, the times were v slow, also that win was going right handed which I believe suits the horse more. His record going rh reads 111

Has NH given any indication what race he's likely to go for?

Still in World Hurdle...

i could see him running in world hurdle fearless punter. henderson said if he went back over hurdles anytime he would be right on big bucks heels (words to that affect). i dont think he would win the gold cup, trainer has long run in that, and plenty that could run in the ryanair. with zaynar not looking particularly impressive as a stayer he could still run in the champion hurdle he has an entry for with oscar whisky, and leave punchestowns in the world hurdle to have a go at big bucks

RC,
as well as watching the RSA again,watch todays performance.

Surely World Hurdle bound after today ?

I think the initial plan is to stay at it over fences. Very strange that the horse drifted and there was no confidence behind him really, seeing as how he was absolutely hammered into favourite in a really strong RSA. You sensed that Punchestowns was never going to run well today. Gerraghty never looked happy/confident. I remember Henderson saying this was one of the best he's trained? That performance today was awful. Will be interesting to see where he goes next!

Could be on to something mm...blew up today ...VC best price during week for argento and now worst price for GC.

The horse is just nor good eneough, imo, certainly over 3 miles. Go and read BJG's blog on ATR and he was confident today.

The horse is starting to remind me of Barbers Shop.

A very disappointing run alright, but interesting that Henderson isn't changing course and you got the feeling that Geraghty expected it to happen like that today.

..the horse is certainly no Barbers Shop though. Punchestowns hasn't been bottomed out in any of his races unlike BS.

Would not rule this one out yet and at current prices on here could be worth a few clams even if it's layed off on the day. A few of Henderson's horses are coming up a little bit short lately like Binocular and made me think of Punchestowns. Looks like BJG will be riding him in the Gold Cup still and I remember Punjabi blowing up like this in the Kingwell before going on to winning the Champion Hurdle. I'm not saying this horse will win the GC but as Gerraghty says in his blog he will be a different horse on the day. He did not look right in the Argento and could be a bit of a dark horse.

We definitely have to forgive Punchestowns his run in Argento Chase, he blew up pretty early and Nicky said after that he blamed himself for leaving him short. It was his class that go him in behind the leaders four out and he jumped well and only missed one down the back.

There’s a lot of improvement in him and regardless of whether he goes to Newbury next weekend, you will see a different horse on Gold Cup day.

GIVE UP ON HIM HE'S GONE

yep clearly 1 bad run means a horse has gone. SMH moron. I'd guess you were in the same oppinion of Binocular last year?

its 3 bad runs almost 4 pal

he was a bino was he

It's been obvious to me since last year's RSA that he doesn't stay 3 miles in top notch company over fences. It's equally obvious he should run in the Ryanair, in which I would give him an outstanding chance.

save him away for the punchestown gold cup imo

Surely Saturday was the time to give him a go over 2 miles in a weak Game Spirit? 

Rancid planning from the yard imo.

he's not a 2 miler

Needs to go back hurdling imv
Can't jump fences

Was he entered for Newbury or is Riverside Theatre the Henderson horse for that? If not this Saturday do we have a rematch with POD at Ascot on Saturday week ?

I think you can forgive him last years RSA chase run ...he was rumoured lame in days before it and a hock injury showed up after the race. The last two runs are harder to forget but Ill give him one last chance.

its 3 bad runs almost 4 pal
He won a Grade 1(guessing this is the almost 4) against a good yard stick even when making a mistake. Then he didn't run well in the RSA(can't remember but think the horse had a problem after race) but still had the winner of the Paddy Power behind him so I would forgive him hat run. He then ran in the fog and no one really knows what happened but I actually like many others think Pride Of Dulcotte is top class anyway and there was no shame in that defeat. His run in the Argento was awful. All I was saying was his price could look big on the day. The horse is not gone at the game.

Personally i dont think cheltenham suits him at all over fences,and to be honest i aint sure he enjoys chasing.if he were mine i would go back hurdling with him.

when travelling he jumps well. look at Argento again, flew a couple at top of hill when pace picked up a bit. Can't do the short/fiddle type that you need esp at start of 3m race and during it when (imo) it's all about tempo/rhythm.

2m will fix everything. Am still convinced he could one of top 5 horses in training.

he could be*

Ryanair is tailor made for him.

entered in a graduation chase on fri at Kempton over 2m4 along with crack away jack.....gets back 2 winning way(hopefully) nxt stop the ryanair

Sounds like owner was leaning towards Ryanair but trainer still had Gold Cup in mind ...

http://www.sportinglife.com/racing/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=racing/11/02/10/RACING_Punchestowns.html&BID=465

no ryanair for him by trainers comments today after that performance,was not very good.Says he needs 3m and could well skip chelt and wait for aintree

Madness! That was 2m 4f on a flat track. The Ryanair is still tailor made for him! 2m 5f at festival pace with the uphill finish is perfect! They would be mad to skip the Ryanair, mad I tell you!

Since when was 2m 4f around Kempton anywhere near the same stamina test as 2m 5f around Cheltenham? Punchestowns was flying at the finish around Kempton and he'll be sprouting wings in the Ryanair.

He's an impossible horse, he doesn't have a distance, not quick enough for 2m and can't stay 3, and doesn't seem to like 2m4, and you can't really tell if he prefers chasing or hurdling, sometimes he bolts over a fence and then other times he will stutter at a hurdle.

I assume they will go for the Ryanair, but I couldn't back it with stolen money.

can not agree with you there fantastic

not sure whether he is still feeling something myself. his jumping is either very slow and steep or he stutters into the fence.

he was well beaten today( barry was looking round to make sure he was safe for 2nd place) until pasco started choking. he wasn't flying at the finish, more like pasco was going backwards.

punch is not the horse he looked 12 months ago and would not be in the first 8 at cheltenham.

awful performance today

His sparkle has gone and to me it looks like something is up with the horse. Shame JP doesn't own him because IMO this horse needs some special visit to Ireland to get him back. It's just not his jumping. He used to travel like a really good horse now he looks like he's struggling from the start. IMO Punchestowns is a 3 mile horse but he should still be able to cruise all over Pasco in a race like today.

*not just his jumping^

Horse looked finished to me, i laid it today as felt he had gone.   Paid out but the feeling hasnt changed that he isnt anywhere near top class on what hes doing right now

Agree with Master - the horse does nto travel as sweetly as he did before his injury and it seems to me he will never fulfil his potential now. He looked a superstar in his 2 races before Cheltenham. He did not travel or jump at Cheltenham, and has not since, which makes me think the injury sustained in the RSA has finished him off. He used to appear to have the speed to win over 2. Yesterday he would have been beaten a distance if Pasco had not fell in a hole when his breathing went.