Day Five Punchestown Festival 2023

The firs selection on the final day of the 2023 Punchestown festival comes in the Colm Quinn BMW Handicap Chase and My Design off a handy weight can go close.

Very consistent of late when when winning a Mares Beginners Chase three starts ago at Clonmel over 2m4f from Pont Aval for Willie Mullins, she then went back over the same course and distance finished a good second to the progressive Bachasson.

Stepped up in trip to 3m 4 1/2f in the Ulster National Handicap Chase, off a mark of 124 she ran a screamer to finish second revelling in the extra distance.

Off only 2lb higher in this event she can go close.

One of the races of the afternoon at Punchestown on Saturday is the Grade One Mares Champion Hurdle and we fancy Love Envoi to take the race for England for a second year running.

Love Envoi for Harry Fry and owners Noel Fehily Racing Syndicate was a revelation last season making her debut at Leicester in December when winning nicely over 2m 4 1/2f.

Seen five more times before the end of the season the mare went on to win four nice events including two Grade Two events, one of them being the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival.

Looking to round out the season in a Grade One at Fairyhouse, she bumped into the fresh Brandy Love for Willie Mullins and had to settle for second in the Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final.

Dropped back into a handicap for her seasonal debut off 139, she took on the boys and put up a serious weight carrying performance to win the race in determined fashion.

Chucked into an easier event next time out at Sandown in another Listed Mares Hurdle, especially getting weight off last years winner Martello Sky, she went on to bolt up putting away the field by 13 lengths.

It was all systems go for the Grade One Mares Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival and having ran a screamer she was just defeated by the Queen of jumps racing Honeysuckle.

There is nothing to suggest these horses in behind can reverse the form and for us Love Envoi is still getting better.

Another selection from us that could hopefully see the English defeat the Irish on their own patch comes in the Pat Taffe Handicap Chase over three miles and we are going with Flegmatik.

A winner at Kempton in February last season off 123 in a Handicap Chase, A few weeks later off 7lb higher made it back to back wins at the same track both in impressive style.

Going up to a mark of 139 he slightly lost his putting in some lesser performances, but with his mark dropping to 135 last time out he bounced back to form to finish a neck second to Our Power in the Coral Trophy Handicap Chase at Kempton.

Given a 2lb rise for that he sees himself on a mark of 137 but having been saved since then for this race and getting some decent ground again at Punchestown he looks a promising runner.

The final Grade One of the 2023 Punchestown festival is the Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle and we can't look past Lossiemouth.

Lossiemouth has been superb to date winning both the Grade Three at Fairyhouse and Grade Two at Leopardstown over Christmas in good fashion on her first two starts with both races turning into sprints, she showed her versatility in how she can race and that 7lb allowance is just everything.

Looking a banker to make it three on the bounce at the DRF in the Grade One Spring Juvenile Hurdle she got some bad luck mid race and was pushed to the back of the field and although running a hell of a race to run Gala Marceau close, she couldn't do enough to get back up.

Wondering whether the bubble had burst for her heading into the Cheltenham festival, she proved her doubters wrong to run a superb race and reverse the form with Gala Marceau to land the Grade One Triumph Hurdle.

Taking on her stablemate rival again, we fancy her to do the same as the Cheltenham festival.

The final selection of the 2023 Punchestown festival comes in the Fitzwilliam Sports Grade B Handicap Hurdle and Seddon dropping back over hurdles on a handy mark can keep up his superb run of form.

Moving from Harry Whittington to McConnell in August 2022, he was given a run six days later at Cartmel in a Handicap Chase over 2m5f when a 12 lengths second.

Dropped to two miles next time out he was third in an average Handicap Hurdle, but since then has been rejuvenated winning back to back races, taking a Handicap Hurdle over 2m4f at Navan over 129 and then back over fences up to 2m5f he was a cracking winner at Leopardstown over Christmas, bolting up by 13 lengths.

Given a whack by the handicapper to a mark of 143 for the Plate Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham festival he took that in his stride pinging every fence to win well up the hill.

Being a versatile character, John McConnell has now dropped him back over hurdles which sees him on a mark of 134 which is 9lbs lower what he won off at the Cheltenham festival, so effectively he should be massively well in here.

At 9/1 he looks a cracking each way bet.