Punchestown ....plenty of hype....for a bang ordinary meeting....

Ireland. Bad.
Everywhere else. Good.

Paulie hates
Irish racecourses
Irish jockeys
Irish rugby team
Irish football team
Hurling
Irish cyclists
Ireland's finest Olympian.

Paulie have your life on Yorkhill in the last today,you will appreciate the racecourse after that and will be able to stop in some decent eating house on the way home.

Would ya go away out of that ya clown ya....
Have my life on Yorkhill my hole.....what do ya know about most of the opposition?.....zero of course.....theres 2 english horses that you know nothing about.....and all you are going on is hearsay.....
Yorkhill won  a point to point bumper.....beating  a horse that would be 20/1 in this......
If as you say hes better than Bellshill.....why didnt he run yesterday?......both horses were eligible for both races.....
I will tell you why he didnt run.....because you are talking thru yer hole again.....and thats hardly a surprise......

Jings hold all bets looks like Paulies goin a laying,that 2/1 with Bet 365 might not be as generous as first thought.

I presume you aren't quibbling with my list.
I notice the Jacks must have come up to scratch,I think they designated one solely for your use.

You do a fair bit of " talking thru yer hole " Paulie.

There is more than one SP outlet.

Punchestown is called Peerless Punchestown because the future King of England visited the festival 150 years ago,that's how long its going far longer that Cheltenham.

The population of England is a multiple of 15 times Ireland so you would expect bigger crowds.
Punchestown is much more relaxed and has some ordinary racing,its not Cheltenham and has never pretended to be,Cheltenham is unique.

Why call the place a dive,why complain if sponsors give out free tickets that's commonplace.

I find your negativity towards everything Irish sad.

I didnt quibble with your list Dan.....even though its as usual wildly inaccurate.....just couldnt be bothered too'ing and fro'ing all day long with you......
Ya the jacks were fine.....no queues either because there was nobody there.....by all accounts the new caterers really excelled themselves.....Come back Dobbins all is forgiven.....
What i dont like Dan is.....listening to the manager of the track telling us there was a record crowd the first day....21104 i think he said.....does he think everyone hasnt a brain cell listening to that shiite.....
The truth is theres nobody there at the meeting......in relative terms of course.....
And the reason nobody goes is that people will not tolerate mediocrity anymore.....and rightly so....

Oh to be young.
I was there and won't go back,nothing to do with the racing just the crowds.
You say there was no one there yet I couldn't handle the crowds,it seemed huge to me.

Another thing that affected me was the constant blaring of music and nonsense over the public address system,I accept this constant need for music is a modern thing so its not a complaint even though it gave me a headache.

Spare a thought for Dessie today.

Ok Corral returns to an Irish track to haunt him.

At least Paul Kristian seems to be out to grass or wherever he has been sent and nothing looks similar to the Magnier colours either.

Looks a good bumper and both Henderson horses could beat Mullins in this.

Paulie it is far from bang ordinary,Mullins superstars are seeing to that,the bumpers are classy though the handicaps are very open generally. An afterthought meeting to an extent but what can it be at the end of April. I'm enjoying it but could do with a winner.

I was dead against Ok Corral first time as I thought his breeding suggested that the trip around Kempton would be too sharp for him. He looks to have the size and build of a chaser as well and I thought he was deeply impressive first time. The second has not run since, but The Unit 9who was very well touted for Kempton) has come out and won a Newbury bumper since.

Newsworthy did it well in the end in the first division of that race. He has probably been the most talked up bumper horse of the year and Keen Leader referred to the schooling bumper that he won, ahead of that Kempton run. He was also entered up well before Christmas at Ascot, so it is clear that he has been ready for quite some time and well cranked up on a few occasions. With that in mind, I was surprised to see him run so green and hang a little in the straight, but he came away to win nicely enough. The second ran deplorably next time, but Kayf Adventure appears to have franked the form in a big way since. I would say Kayf Adventure improved leaps and bounds for that debut however. Again there is talk that Newsworthy is working like a really good horse, but any further rain might hinder his chances and I am not massively keen on his attitude.

I did not like Yorkhill in his points and he looked to have a few quirks from the video evidence. He hacked up at Gowran but that may well prove to be a very poor race. Willie will no doubt make a fool of me again, but I am taking him on here.

I would have preferred to see Ok Corral run in the Curragh race as that track might play more to his strengths and especially now that after winning that Kempton race, he would not have Magnier on board at the Curragh, like a previous victor of that bumper had to endure.

Despite the track maybe not being ideal however, he created too good an impression last time to let him go unbacked today.

Its not bad to watch Pa.....but the hype is sickening.....and you are right Pa when you say you could do with a winner....so could I and there are many more like you.....
But its the general unfathomable results.....its 50/50 whether any horse gives its running there.....I could list a dozen things that happened that defied logic there.....and the meeting is only 2 days old.....its a kip .....a proper one too....
Here goes....
1. rich coast not being able to finish in a 2m hurdle
2. mallowney being odds on jumping the second last and finishing up getting beat 20 lengths
3. twinlight being beat after 3 fences.
4. don poli running like a drain
5. valseur lido coming back from beat 60 lengths and winning
6. 33/1 chance in the bumper pisssing in
7. shamiran winning
8. identity thief folding when it had it apparently won.
9. the ultimate head scratcher ....walk to freedom doing his istabraq impression...
10. shaneshill blowing out
11. no more heroes shaming himself
12. bellshill doing what don cossack did....ran at the 3 festivals and won....hard to see that happening.....

The bottom line is without a qualified vet and a crystal ball.....Punchestown is for the birds....

Ha good examples there after just the 2 days,it has always been like that though with of certainly having enough for the season well and truly answered. That is fair enough.
Interesting you say Yorkhill seemed a bit quirky Distant View in his points,even the ease of his Gowran win he possibly looked in two minds on a couple of occasions.

Any the one consistency, year after year, Enda Bolger and Nina win the Xcountry, i'd take 11/8 here a lot quicker than the bumper.

50pts win again winsam?

Ton today, a little chasing is good for the soul

Was supposed to go tomorrow but looking at the card, not sure if I could be arsed

Paulie is spot on with what he says in his sum up of the meeting so far, it is very hard to fathom some of the results there and with three days to go, its not known what could happen..

i Was at punchestown tuesday also and I thought the crowds were massive. Plenty of free passes around alright, I don't see why you'd complain about that though. Very spacious, comfortable racecourse imo with plenty of bars and food outlets available. Definitelty need more toilets though, long queses from what I saw.

Using winter form for spring racing will always make things more difficult. There is often unfathomable results this time of year moreso at aintree than anywhere. Ithink this is declining though due to horses being minded and running less during the winter. I'm not defending because i'm plenty of winners myself as I haven't found any myself yet.

Of the examples you gave above, some are easily enough explained imo:

Don poli is a very slow horse and probably didn't act on the track. Denman also disappointed here a few years ago also.

No more heroes had a very hard race for a novice on soft ground at cheltenham, probably hasn't recovered. I backed him yesterday also btw.
ockey.
Shaneshill didn't stay imo.

Twinlight has often run shockers like that, he has two ways of running.

Identity thief was sent on too early by the jockey and time might prove that he is a bit ofa monkey also.

Shaimiran probably improved for going back to his old trainer.

Mallowney is a bit of  bridle horse imo.

Some of the results were unfathomable ie walk to freedom but all racing is unpredictable and is part and parcel of the game.

Don Poli has won over 2m 4f over hurdles at the Cheltenham festival on ground every bit as good as the other day if not better, he also beat Wounded Warrior easily over 2m 4f at Gowran earlier in the season - where does this idea he is a paceless plodder come from ??

Yes his defeat the other day is probably easy explained, he was either not right on the day or over the top

or may not be seen to best effect on the track

That  race at cheltenham that he won was an apprentice riders race in which they went very fast and the leaders died. He was held up and finished strongly. He got an easy lead at gowran. He was outpaced in the rsa this year and was off the bridle a fair way out. Davy russell said after he rode him in his first irish race that he was so slow he thought he would never win a race. I'm not a predigree expert but nicky henderson said in a preview on atr that he has a full brother to him and that he is so slow he is afraid to run him on the track. We'll probably have top agree to disagree but I think he definitely lacks a gear.

O'Hehir "the flare" "napped" him. There's your reason

He was never outpaced in the RSA, he is just lazy, Davy Russell also said he has never pulled a horse to help out family members

haha slickster

I guess we will find out next season anyway

paulie is dead right about the attendance lark...free passes to beat the band, those actually paying in full whack must be feeling like mugs. on Saturday we will get another record crowd, easy when every refuse customer of AES got offered 2 free passes, they must have at least 50,000 clients in the midlands.

this is a decidedly difficult fixture, you have no idea what horses have gone off the boil, some grades are going to form, others the form book going out the window....the classic case is Valseur lido...ran at Fairyhouse as dead as a dodo and looked cooked for the season, suddenly 3 weeks later he revitalises...head scratching to say the least...if it was any other trainer he would be questioned by the press, mullins got a free ride on this occasion.

this fixture is at the moment putting more and more pressure on cooper,the last 2 months have not been kind to him, the saving grace is that giggs are collecting with other jockeys aboard.

as for the bumper today...a cup of coffee, sit back and watch race....newsworthy and yorkhill were stabled together this time last year at dennisons place in loughanmore, his best four year olds, with the former the stable number one. newsworthy appeared workmanlike in his bumper, the visual impression masked that he clocked the fastest ever time for a turf bumper at the track with the term soft in the description, twas 10 seconds faster than ok corall.

if up for review recaptured his Leopardstown form he could be the party pooper.

5/4 about Yorkhill is mental, pink button crying out to be hit..

Yorkhill destroys the opposition. Hope you all lumped on.

Didnt back it myself.....i would hardly say it destroyed the opposition either.....the second as usual was too far back....would have been really close if it was ridden properly.....

You'ld have a few more to add to your list today Paulie,the ar$e way order of the Mullins runners in a couple of races notably.
Very confident shout from yourself with the bumper Wildman,won handy and never a worry.

Paulie is spot on.

Backed Yorkhill but I wouldn't get desperately carried away with the performance. The second was way too far out of his ground when Patrick went on. I thought the commentator got carried away which created the illusion that he was further in front than he actually was too.

Chances are that race might produce more good horses than yesterdays champion bumper. The third horse will make into a right staying novice hurdler.

Paulie gets owned by Wildmanfromborneo AGAIN ,his sidekick Gemini last seen with a begging bowl outside Punch ...Aside from that , a cracking crowd there today and very well behavied ..Only winner I had was Jezki ,won well enough and a very good ride from Mark ,he must be up there when JP finally decides who he wants in the plate ,UDS looked to me as if he'd had enough for the season , and wasn't as flamboyant as usual ...

irish horse racing is so bloated..............a nation of 4m can put on racing day in day out with decent prizemoney............nice of the tax payer to give us this

Not true mate , most weeks you're lucky to get 3 meeting ...

april = 33 meetings
may = 38
june = 32

Gemini01 has been sniping here for a while but in the footsteps of Bobbybocala Robo and Paulie he was finally flushed out and came up with a betting recommendation.
It was like the other threes debut performance an odds on shot and again like the other three unsuccessful.

Would be a much better meeting at 3 days. Shave off the surplus and stick them on some time in winter when trainers are looking for spots for their horses. at 3 days, people might argue it has something on Cheltenham, would definitely give it a greater sense of cachet and quality.

BDJ ,thats the summer months ,everyone  has at least a COUPLE of holiday meeting during that time , Autum ,Winter , 3 meetings a week is common...

Just watched replay of the bumper there as it was a late night after Punchestown yesterday.

Well done wildman - Yorkhill did it very well.

I thought Ok Corral ran a blinder and is a lovely prospect. A stiffer test will certainly suit.

Newsworthy has been drilled for his races and we may not see much better from him than we have already.

What an utter dirt Champion Hurdle that was. How can tax payers money going to this dirge be justified??

Fook me,if you didn't enjoy that performance you shouldn't bother with racing.

What a fantastic freak!

Anyone that doesn't appreciate that performance doesn't have an interest in NH racing (regardless of opposition/betting)

The bloody rte / walsh love in isvery annoying imo

What performance? He  front run against a stable mate who never put it up to him after falling lto and 2 dogs

really pa ??

don't remember you ever saying that to Wildmanfromborneo when he constantly goes on (the exact same as Racingqueen has posted) about O Brien and Mullins horses winning (really impressively) uncompetitive races because their horses are so much better - thou shalt not questing thy leader

horse looks an absolute freak, 2m or 3m, good ground or heavy, nothing seems to make a difference

What can you do with Faugheen Premier,he will beat anything put in front of him,he is a beast and can't see him ever beat.
Artic fire is very decent and like the ch hur likely 2nd best around,he was destroyed by a horse changing gears when he liked, up to racingqueen to slag that race if he wants but just blind imo.
Not sure what you are on about questioning Wildman in regards uncompetitive races Premier,i have disagreed at times before with him,no big deal and just a difference of opinion.

Not sure what you are on about questioning Wildman in regards uncompetitive races Premier


Go away out of that, he has had numerous threads about it (which is his right) and constantly gone on about it basically posting exactly what Racingqueen posted and even called for the prize money to be cut significantly over it but never have you told him that he shouldn't bother with racing if he didn't enjoy watching the class animal hack up in a small field

Faugheen is a good horse but the turnout is the criticism i have of that race, it was a disgrace but its nothing new in Irish racing or National Hunt in general (Cheltenham apart). Why should the Irish taxpayer contribute to uncompetitive rubbish like that?

You aren't getting my point Premier, it was some performance by Faugheen,it was slagged, regarding winter g1's yeah they are small fields in the hurdles but who wanted to be taking on The Fly in his pomp, you can tell him that yourself,i look on it as it is just the way it is.

How can anyone claim that was "Some performance" when he beat 2 hounds and a horse being given an easy time after his fall lto

He beat a 169 rated horse on the snaff by 8 lengths. what do you think he ran to?

Has a pointer ever had the speed to win the champion?

The constitution to return with that performance on quick ground after winning at Cheltenham the hard way.

The very best don't need excuses,they are versatile in regards to trip or ground.

No financial interest in the race but still thoroughly enjoyed it.

I will be intrigued to see how WPM gets on next Christmas,the schedule has been for the last few years to have them ready early to sort the pecking order,run below par at Christmas but then thrive for the spring festivals.

go with racing queen here,

Tattersalls Ireland Champion Novice Hurdle (Grade 1)
Winner €57,000 2nd €18,050 3rd €8,550 4th €2,850
6 runners
4 from wp mullins
3 from gigginstown
0 from jp
0 from elliot/meade/de bromhead/harvey
How is that competitive??

Queally Group Celebrating 35 Years In Naas Punchestown Champion Hurdle (Grade 1)
Winner €120,000 2nd €38,000 3rd €17,999 4th €6,000 5th €4,000 6th €2,000
4 runners
2 from mllins
0 from jp
0 from meade/de bromhead/harvey

BTW faugheen gets another 6k for 5th and 6th.

how can the hri let this happen?

Graded nh races are a joke in ireland.

Where are the horses though? You have a few so far above the rest.

Top 10 2m hurdle ratings in the country(my list,higher ratings with a few that would be established 3m hurdlers.

Faugheen 173
Artic Fire 169
Jezki 169 (?)
Hurricane Fly 168
Douvan 161
Thousand Stars 153 (?)
Windsor Park 153
Bayan 152
Wicklow Brave 152

Forget the tenth horse as you would probably have to go into the 140's,? is for a doubt that you will see them over 2m again.
A few are so far superior to the rest and that would include the UK. I can't see it being anyone's fault as such.
I agree strongly with you Cacique that the 5th/6th money going to Faugheen isn't right and shouldn't happen in a small field.

The grade one hurdle races in Ireland during the season just ended were of much higher standard than the UK ones. When did a UK trained horse win a grade one in Ireland - at a guess probably Punjabi six seasons back.

ie over 2 miles

it doesn't matter about the english coming over. i would say there are a couple of  hurdle races in the year that matter, the hatton grace is not one of them, nor the irish champion hurdle, nor the Queally Group Celebrating 35 Years In Naas Punchestown Champion Hurdle (Grade 1)


faugheen won €126000 and a grade 1 today for nothing more than a gallop.

Why not get competitive handicap grade one's, faugheen giving 3 stone to tiger roll, if he still hammers him then we can says he's a gud one

Have to say I was very impressed with him today , I was half expecting a track record tbh , as someone said he's a freak ....Huge crowd today lots of young kids enjoying themselves ..Thats something that always puzzles me , these kids appear year after year at this meeting yet I have stood many a day on those same steps and there wouldn't be more than a hand full of us ..The question remains why don't they return , surely the HRI or the Racing board should be encouraging them back ...

Chappers has been brilliant on ATR, that guy deserves it all. I see a 3rd banks race of the meeting tomorrow or is it 4th lost count and do we have another bumper race as well as a charity flat race at the end, imagine you could put on a day and a half of festival just on flat races and bank races. Also it is real rent a mob crowd that goes to it, bit of a joke and should be moved back to a 2 to 3 day meeting.

ATR was for once a better watch than RTE, Mick Fitzgerald and  "good performance" Kevin O Ryan seemed to be on terrestrial tv all week. But the ultimate insult was dick puke commentating ,where did they get him from ?. The nausea was overpowering and i dont think i ever grabbed a remote control quicker during faugheens race yesterday. Talk about a know all.

The years haven't mellowed you Mincer still welcome back.

Wildmanfromborneo , have PM'D you ...

Really can't have mick Fitz now at all gives everything a chance and won't commit to 1 also re watching Wednesday's card and befor the gold cup they were chatting about the Don trip etc KOR saying he Wundt get it tho he put his hands up after to say he got it wrong ( like we all do ) Fitz slabbering about what Martin pipe said to him years ago low and behold after the race 1st thing he says was mc coy said after aintree the horse needs the trip and is a gold cup horse and wud have no bother getting it total bluffer and a lot better out there

Mick Fitzgeralds problem is he doesn't get gambling,he doesn't understand odds.

This is an innate thing.

He knows his racing alright but is anodyne and tends to contradict himself.

Richard Pugh is an excellent commentator as is Slicksters nemesis.
The worst commentator by miles is Dessie,he is in the Louis Gunning class.

Whatever about allowing "Fitzy" to cover naff UK meetings,he shouldn't be allowed anywhere near Irish racing.

He has an extremely limited knowledge of Irish form,he fills in time with cliches and living of past memories.

He clearly can't be very bright to have such limited knowledge of the formbook after spending a lifetime in the game,he must feel that he is somehow entitled to a living from the sport as it's astounding lazyness to regularly be so unprepared. If he doesn't know the form naturally then clearly he should put in some preparatory work but perhaps he doesn't even realise he is shaming himself.

Stealing a living would be my honest opinion of "Fitzy" and living of past contacts,adds nothing that is remotely interesting.

Gary O'Brien is an excellent broadcaster,well mannered,articulate, and has an encyclopedic knowledge of the Irish form book.

Where are the horses though? You have a few so far above the rest.

Top 10 2m hurdle ratings in the country(my list,higher ratings with a few that would be established 3m hurdlers.

Faugheen 173
Artic Fire 169
Jezki 169 (?)
Hurricane Fly 168
Douvan 161
Thousand Stars 153 (?)
Windsor Park 153
Bayan 152
Wicklow Brave 152


This perfectly proves the point that there are simply not enough high class horses to justify so many Grade 1s across GB and Ire