(((( PUNCHESTOWN ))))

Excuse me for forgetting the name, but Nichols had an impressive bumper winner a few weeks back (I'd backed it antepost for the bumper at Cheltenham) but he missed the festival in favour of Aintree....

Danny Kirwan is the horse I was thinking of, assume they're still planning on Aintree, though no entires listed on his racing post profile - https://www.racingpost.com/profile/horse/1443079/danny-kirwan/entries

Also here's a racingpost article regarding 6 horses that missed Cheltenham who may well be going to Aintree - https://www.racingpost.com/news/news/fresh-and-feared-six-cheltenham-absentees-who-could-light-up-aintree/324190

RP six...
Waiting Patiently
On The Blind Side
Double Shuffle
Global Citizen
Mia's Storm
Minella Rocco

WHAD - "He was a sick horse. There was not much of a question of missing it (Cheltenham). At the time it was frustrating missing it and I said to the boys we couldn't have gone there, but on the other hand maybe that was the best thing about that. Maybe he's a fresh horse. He was always enjoying himself there. He was fresh and well. But he was pretty sick. On that Monday morning his manger hadn't been touched and he had a temperature. We've had four weeks and that was quick enough. He is a good horse and that was a good performance, but none of the first three in the Triumph Hurdle have turned up. Let's sit back and enjoy that. He is unbeaten through the year and has won two Grade One races. He has got his life in front of him and has not stopped improving all season. That is it for the season2 - Hendo.

OK, a Cheltenham 3rd (hampered 3 out in the Grand Annual/stayed on), but TOP GAMBLE @14/1 appeals in the TOPHAM at 4.05

PYM 8/1 to reverse form with Danny Kirwan in the last at AINTREE at 5.15.

Throw Eamon an Cnoic and MIN in the mix..... (I also added Kuchar and Langer for an 8ball Goliath )

Colin Tizzard is set to take a strong team to the Punchestown Festival next week headlined by Albert Bartlett hero Kilbricken Storm and last week's Aintree scorer Finian's Oscar.

"We are taking Kilbricken Storm to Punchestown for the novice race, the Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle," said Tizzard.
"We've always had a little trouble with his feet. We had a run-in with them going into Cheltenham, then he came right, then he had trouble straight afterwards. But that was only for a week and he's been in full work since then so he'll be fine for Punchestown.
"I think he had the run of the race at Cheltenham because a couple in front went too fast and the second and the third were sat too far back. Harry (Cobden) was sat right in the pocket and we had a hell of an advantage. But having said that, Kilbricken Storm is a really good horse and we'll find out how just good he is in Punchestown."

Finian's Oscar was just touched off at Punchestown last season but after a mixed campaign, he bounced back to his best in Liverpool and is a possible for the Growise Champion Novice Chase. "We'll just keep an eye on how he's come out of Aintree but he should be fine to go to Punchestown," said Tizzard.
"He's a good horse and it's only 18 months ago that all he'd done was to have won one point-to-point, so he's done a hell of a lot in a short space of time.
"Robbie (Power) looked after him on the first circuit at Aintree, he made two bad mistakes when he started picking the pace up but he's going to be a three-miler."

Sizing Granite is in the mix for the Coral Punchestown Gold Cup, while Sizing Codelco and Shanahan's Turn are others likely to make the trip.

My Tent Or Yours has been given the green light by Nicky Henderson to contest the **** Punchestown Champion Hurdle on April 28.

Ruby Walsh has failed in his bid to be fit for the Punchestown Festival next week.

The star jockey's hopes of making the big five-day meeting, which begins on Tuesday, were dashed following results from an X-ray on his right leg that he fractured at Cheltenham last month. "It is hugely disappointing, but I am looking forward to riding once again in the new season," Walsh told Racing UK.

Great Field has suffered a setback which has ruled him out of the **** Champion Chase at Punchestown on Tuesday.

OK, so who has all the DAY 1. WINNERS lined up ?

Lovely to watch Catch........just like Liverpool!!!

Catch Me ifyoucan • March 20, 2018 1:03 AM GMT

WHAT HORSES bypassed Cheltenham..... for AINTREE and/or PUNCHESTOWN ? .....be it thru injury niggle or ground or flat track specialists, etc ?

Adrien Du Pont tomoro in Aintree

+ Waiting Patiently