Grade One Champion Four Year Old Hurdle Punchestown Guide 2023

Joseph O’Brien has one in the Champion Four Year Old Hurdle at Punchestown on Saturday with 130-rated hurdler Nusret. The colt arrives here having begun very well over hurdles, winning here on debut before finishing behind Gala Marceau and Lossiemouth at Leopardstown in December.

Did well to land Grade Two Adonis Juvenile Hurdle over 2m at Kempton in February before finishing third in the 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree earlier this month, finishing behind Bo Zenith and winner Zenta, who finished behind Gala Marceau and Lossiemouth at Cheltenham last month.

He looks a decent prospect for O’Brien but this requires more, especially against the likes of Gala Marceau and Lossiemouth who have dominated this company in recent times.

One of four for leading Irish trainer Willie Mullins in this contest, Gala Marceau arrives here in very good form, having beaten stablemate and favourite Lossiemouth in the Grade One Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown in February, albeit Lossiemouth ran into traffic and still managed to finish just behind her stablemate.

Lossiemouth reversed that form with her in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham last month as she finished behind her for a second time (Grade Two Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle) and she may have to settle for runner-up again here, with Lossiemouth looking a tough nut to crack.

Andrew McNamara sends one to this contest at Punchestown on Saturday with his filly Enjoy The Dream, who has made a good start to her hurdling career so far. The four-year-old finished third on debut at Gowran Park in 2m maiden in February before stepping into Grade Two Juvenile company at Fairyhouse earlier this month, running on well to beat 8/11fav Blood Destiny when priced at 33/1.

There should be more improvement to come but this will be tougher, facing some more experienced horses at this level. The top three in the market look very hard to beat.

One of four for Willie Mullins in the Champion Four Year Old Hurdle at Punchestown on Saturday and three of those currently sit at the top of the market in Lossiemouth, Gala Marceau and Zarak The Brave. The gelding now makes his third start over hurdles, after winning Fairyhouse maiden back in November by ten lengths before four lengths behind stablemate Lossiemouth in Grade Three Juvenile at Fairyhouse again in December when priced at 5/4fav.

More to come from the four-year-old after those two promising runs and he has been kept fresh since finishing runner-up to Lossiemouth and could make it a probable 1-2-3 for Mullins, most likely behind Gala Marceau and Lossiemouth, who both look tough to beat.

120-rated hurdler Your Honor steps into graded company for the first time, having won one of his six starts over hurdles so far, beating seven rivals to claims success at Limerick in March. Apart from that win, he has failed to make his presence felt in much less company than this, including finishing seventh on two occasions where Byker and Blood Destiny tasted success.

Fourth of eight in Ballinrobe handicap last time out but this is a much stiffer task and he doesn’t make much appeal.

Willie Mullins has four in this race with Lossiemouth, Gala Marceau, Zarak The Brave and Cinsa. Cinsa is the least fancied of the Mullins quartet with the other three sitting at the top of the betting currently. The filly has had three starts over hurdles in her career, making the move to Mullins’ yard after finishing fourth in Auteuil contest won by current stablemate Lossiemouth last April.

She has since finished sixth and seventh on her two outings in the UK, behind a few of these on both occasions and she is sure to be vulnerable again, having shown little signs of improvement so far. One to dismiss.

Willie Mullins shows off four runners in the four-year-old contest at Punchestown on Saturday, with Lossiemouth being one of those. The filly is in top form, having won the Grade One Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival last month by just over two lengths to stablemate Gala Marceau. The four-year-old had lost out to her at Leopardstown in February, losing her position due to traffic and rallying well to finish second.

She has beaten a few in this race on a number of occasions (including Grade Two Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle) and she looks to set to do so here with the 141-rated hurdler looking to claim her fourth graded win from five starts in the UK. Paul Townend does the steering once again.

Paul Hennessy trains Jacovec Cavern, who travels to Punchestown for the Champion Four Year Old Hurdle on Saturday as the big market outsider at 200/1. The four-year-old arrives here having had four runs over hurdles so far, finishing outside the top five on all occasions, including eighth in the Grade One Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham last month, behind the likes of Cinsa, Gala Marceau and Lossiemouth.

That form looks almost impossible to reverse here and he would be a hugely shocking winner. The outsider in this doesn’t have much chance.