Who To Follow At Punchestown On Day Five - 30/04/22

Punchestown 14:50

Epatante

J: Aidan Coleman

T: Nicky Henderson

N/A

Age: 8

Weight: 11-5

OR: 154

Days: 23

The feature event of the afternoon is the Grade One Mares Champion Hurdle over 2m3f and Epatante for Nicky Henderson will take some beating.

Superb mare for connections over the years that this season has been outstanding winning the Grade One Fighting Fifth, Christmas Hurdle and Aintree Hurdle, only suffering one defeat all season to Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdle which she has also won in her career.

The step up in trip to 2m4f last time out looked to suit and now against her own sex there is no horse in this field that gets close to her on her day.

Solid.

Form: 31121View

Date	Course	Distance	Type	Weight	Position
13/04/23	AIN	20	GS	11-3	4
14/03/23	CHL	20	Sft	11-5	8
28/01/23	DON	16.5	Gd	11-8	1
26/12/22	KEM	16	Sft	11-3	2
26/11/22	NCS	16	GS	11-3	2

Willie Mullins is looking to round off the Punchestown festival in style on Saturday and he has some big chances to do so.

Some of his stand out candidates across the day include Vauban in the Grade One Champion Four Year Old event and the Rich Ricci owned gelding should not be beat.]

Others worth noticing across the day include Stormy Ireland, Shewearsitwell, Burning Victory and Dysart Diamond in the Mares Champion Hurdle and in the 2m3f Handicap Hurdle he fields a few runners with La Prima Donna looking the pick of the bunch.

Mullins is also worth following in the bumper with some newcomers that could turn out to be special horses.

Experienced 5lb claimer Jack Foley has a handful of nice rides on Saturday and is worth following across the day with some of them at nice prices.

One of his best rides of the day comes in the 3m7f Handicap Chase with the favourite Regina Dracones looking to have a big chance having gone well in two similar events of late.

In the Pat Taaffe Handicap Chase he teams up with Willie Mullins on Cavallino with the seven year old stepping up in trip for this event.

Foley also teams up with Mullins again on Five O'Clock in the 2m3f handicap who has a race like this in him.