Punchestown Gold Cup – Tips and Preview – 5.30

The Punchestown Gold Cup has sometimes been lacking in big name chasers lining up. Denman and Kauto Star have had ago, in the recent past, but in general there’s never been much strength in depth to the race. That isn’t the case tomorrow, as the 2nd and 3rd from the Gold Cup line up, as well as the Betfred Bowl winner, and the King George 2nd.

Tips for Punchestown Gold Cup

Sir Des Champs heads the market following a fine second in the Gold Cup. I backed him that day, but I was never really happy with the way he travelled, and it was only an aggressive ride from AP that kept him in it. McCoy really asked him for a few big jumps, and the horse responded. When he won the previous years Jewson, he jumped out of Davy Russell’s hands. I think the difference was the ground, he just isn’t as good on soft ground, and with the ground looking like being similar tomorrow, we may not see him at his very best. He jumped poorly at Leopardstown over Christmas, when Davy was more inclined to let him slow into his fences, and I’d worry the same could happen here.

Another negative to the horses chances, is his record right handed. He was a fortunate winner at Limerick last season, made a meal of winning a poor race at Punchestown, and was hammered by Flemenstar at the start of this season. They were all left handed, although Flemenstar had race fitness on his side, and was running over his perfect trip. They were also all on soft ground, and the fact remains the only time Sir Des Champs has looked a potential superstar, was on good ground. His level of form on this ground, is enough to have a good chance here, but I don’t see any value in his current top price of 2/1.

Long Run is not the superstar he looked like he might be a few years ago. He probably never was, his high rating more a product of some dubious yardstick handicapping, against horses who were past their best. He is however, still a very good horse. He regained his King George crown in December, battling back after probably idling a bit, to beat Captain Chris. He acquired first time check pieces in the Gold Cup, and they remain here. While he wasn’t good enough on the day, he did travel much better than he had been doing, and was only just over 2l behind Sir Des Champs at the line. He’s a very consistent horse, right and left handed tracks, come just the same to him, and he has to have a very good chance.

First Lieutenant is another very consistent horse, and he got his just rewards last time at Aintree, winning the Betfred Bowl, he has top class form over 3 miles on soft ground, but he is probably at his very best on the better ground he got last time. He has been beaten at shortish prices, at Punchestown the past two seasons, but last year he was probably a silly price, over too short a trip. It is a slight worry though, he can’t afford to be below his best, if he is to win, and he did have hard races at both Cheltenham, and Aintree this year.

Captain Chris seems to have acquired more stamina as he gets older. He didn’t seem to stay the 3 miles of the King George in 2011, but this season he went within 1/2l of victory in the race, when Long Run battled back to beat him. He then looked set to beat Cue Card, when he made a bad mistake at the second last at Ascot. He wasn’t sure to win that day, but did look to be about to get the upper hand. Both of those runs, would give him a good chance here, and he did win at Punchestown back in 2011. Last time in the Gold Cup, not for the first time at Cheltenham, he jumped sideways, so that run can be ignored in the context of this race. It might even benefit him, as unlike Sir Des Champs and Long Run, he didn’t have a hard race.

Quito De La Roque was over 8l behind First Lieutenant at Aintree, and that’s probably as good as he is on that ground. He might find a few pound on softer terrain, but I’d be disappointed if he was good enough to win. Riverside Theatre seems to have fallen out of love with the game, never going a yard in his last three runs, he did stay on quite well last time at Cheltenham though, which could lead you to think, further might suit, but when he got further in the King George, he did the same thing. Kauto Stone beat First Lieutenant at Down Royal, but that’s his only run that would give him a chance, and I doubt the 2nd was at his very best that day.

Of the three favourites, I think Long Run is the most likely to run to his best, and thus, the 7/2 he is with

Last updated by Declan Meagher at September 11, 2018.