Punchestown Sunday Preview - 20/11/22

The first selection from Punchestown on Sunday comes in the 3-Y-O Hurdle and we are siding with the Padraig Roche trained Sundial.

A horse that has moved to the yard to go over hurdles having previously been trained by Aidan O'Brien, he is now under the ownership of JP McManus.

Following the same path as similar horses like Brazil and Cougar who have both taken to hurdles from the flat for the same team, Sundial looks another potentially smart type to add to that list.

Seen four times on the flat he showed his best when stepped up in trip, finishing second on first start over two miles on a maiden and then when last seen at Navan in October over 1m6f on heavy ground he got off the mark in good style.

He looks like a horse that will improve for the switch to hurdles and with the yard and connections having previous with this, he looks interesting.

A very interesting race on the Punchestown card on Sunday is the 2m 6 1/2f Handicap Chase and with the Henry De Bromhead yard in good form we are going with Secret She Keeps.

Very lightly raced for the yard, she made her rules debut at Christmas last year off the back of winning a PTP and finished a good third of 17 in a 2m4f maiden.

Seen twice more over hurdles she did show decent ability with her final start at Wexford in July seeing her finish a decent third.

Chasing was always going to be her game and she was sent over the bigger obstacles this season and made a superb debut at Fairyhouse at the start of October when a nose second to stablemate Amirite in a Beginners Chase.

She built on that performance last time out at Thurles when comfortably landing a Mares Beginners Chase over 2m 4 1/2f and now sent handicapping off a mark of 119 she should be a better horse than that mark.

Interesting contender.

The first big race of the afternoon is the Grade Two Florida Pearl Novice Chase over 2m 6 1/2f and Idas Boy for Noel Meade and Gigginstown House Stud looks extremely interesting.

He was maybe not as good a hurdler as some in the field but off the back of his two runs over fences so far this season he looks to have improved massively.

Making his seasonal debut at Cork in October when bolting up in a Beginners Chase over 2m4f beating the decent Gua Du Large.

He was last seen in a Grade Three Novice Chase over the same course and distance when only 1/2 length second to the talented El Barra who is rated 154.

Looks one of the more likelier types with the step up in trip set to be bring more improvement.

The feature race of the afternoon is the Grade One Morgiana Hurdle where five runners go to post and although dual winner of the race Sharjah is respected, we are going with the younger pretender in State Man.

Falling on stable debut last term when looking the likely winner, he showed bundles of ability at Limerick next time out to win easily by 12 lengths.

Mullins next time out sent him into the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival having won five of the last 11 renewals and being a Graded horse in a handicap he went on to win well off a mark of 141.

Looking to land a hat-trick, he was stepped in trip and into a Grade One at the Punchestown festival and taking on the likes of Kilcruit, Flame Bearer and Three Stripe Life he dominated the field to win by seven lengths.

Very exciting gelding that is still very unexposed, but this is a seriously tough test going into open company for the first time on seasonal debut.

Another decent event on Sunday is the Maiden Hurdle over 2m 5 1/2f and Champion bumper fourth Seaban Bistro makes his debut over hurdles.

Seen three times in his career for the Closutton maestro Willie Mullins the gelding made his bumper debut at Naas in January and went on to beat Santonito by five lengths.

Sent straight into the Champion bumper at the Cheltenham festival he ran on well in the mud to finish a solid fourth behind Facile Vega, American Mike and James's Gate.

Tried in the Grade One Punchestown Champion bumper when last seen he was sixth of nine again behind Facile Vega with the ground quicker that day and now stepping up in trip he looks a big player.

The form of the Cheltenham festival race has been franked on numerous occasions and hopefully this gelding can oblige aswell.

Next up is the penultimate event on the card and it sees the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle Qualifier over three miles and we like the look of two Gordon Elliott horses that should run well.

The first is the ex Paul Nolan trained Coventry had been ran over two miles for along time showing glimpses of form but since being stepped up in trip has looked a proper animal.

Having two runs for Elliott he made his yard debut in October at Punchestown over 2m7 1/2f and finished a good second behind Grozni for Charles Byrnes giving nearly two stone away.

Sent to Galway last time out over 2m6f he was another solid third on heavy ground and off a mark of 124 he looks to have a big chance.

Another Elliott runner who looks interesting is the lightly raced Jaycean for Caldwell Construction LTD who made his debut this year over hurdles in January and got off the mark of 2m4f at Navan in taking style.

Tried up in trip a Navan in March next time out he was unfortunately pulled up and was not seen again for the rest of the season.

Making his seasonal debut this term over 2m7f at Thurles he chased home Paddy Power Gold Cup second French Dynamite back in fourth and making his handicap debut off 130 he could have a lot to offer.

The final selection of the afternoon comes in the 2m 1/2f bumper and the horse that takes the eye is the Gordon Elliott trained Cato Capone who makes his rules debut.

Bought for £180,000 at the Goffs Aintree Sale in April by the McNeill family after finishing a good second in a PTP that has worked out well.

The winner that day was Encanto Bruno who is now in the care of John McConnell and having won twice since his PTP, last time out in a good Maiden Hurdle at Cheltenham, the form looks strong.

One to beat.