Who To Follow At Punchestown On Sunday - 20/11/22

James Mackie | @JMackieRacing

Fri 18 Nov 2022 14.02

Punchestown 14:05

State Man

J: Paul Townend

T: W P Mullins

N/A

Age: 5

Weight: 11-12

OR: 159

Days: 205

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.

Form: 2F111View

Date	Course	Distance	Type	Weight	Position
14/03/23	CHL	16.5	Sft	11-10	2
05/02/23	LEO	16	Y	11-12	1
29/12/22	LEO	16	Sft	11-12	1
20/11/22	PUN	16.5	Y	11-12	1
29/04/22	PUN	19.5	Gd/Y	11-10	1

Gordon Elliott sends a strong team to Punchestown on Sunday starting in the opener with Grade One winner Delta Work having his first run of the season in the Risk Of Thunder Chase.

Elliott then fields Calico in the 3-Y-O Hurdle and then in the Handicap Chase over 2m 6 1/2f Fakiera will be looking to get back to form and prove he is better than his mark of 128.

In that race he also fields Dunboyne and Glenloe who like Fakiera will be looking to show just how good they can be over fences.

The first big race of the day is the Grade Two Florida Pearl Novice Chase and Minella Crooner was superb hurdler and now makes his chase debut and looks very interesting.

In the feature Morgiana Hurdle Elliott will be hoping Teahupoo can see off the strong Willie Mullins challenge and then in the Maiden Hurdle A Fortune Out West, Happy Birthday and Will Do all represent big chances.

The Cullentra House trainer sends a decent team in the Pertemps qualifier with Floueur, Jaycean and Coventry all looking to book their spots at the Cheltenham festival.

Finally, Elliott has a big chance in the bumper with Cato Capone who's PTP has worked out well and on rules debut looks exciting.

Leading rider Rachael Blackmore is riding out of her skin this season currently running at a strike rate of 25% for the last two weeks managing seven winners from her last 28 rides.

Her first ride of the day on Sunday is Sundial for Padraig Roche who looks to have a big chance being an ex Aidan O'Brien horse and when these connections have took these types of horses in the past it has worked out.

Blackmore next sits on Secret She Keeps in the Handicap Chase over 2m 6 1/2f with the mare winning well last time out and should still be better than a mark of 119.

In the Grade Two Florida Pearl Novice Chase she sits on Amirite who has a big chance off the back of her seasonal debut and then in the Maiden Hurdle she sits on Top Speed who should go close.

Her final run of the afternoon comes in the Pertemps qualifier comes on Benny The Duke who is near the bottom of the weights.