When Is Day One Of The Punchestown Festival 2021?
Day one of the 2021 Punchestown Festival is on Tuesday 27 April. The eight races start at 15.40, with the last due off at 19.35. The ground on the main course is forecast to be good to yielding.
The Grade 1 William Hill Champion Chase is the highlight of day one of the Punchestown Festival 2021, and Chacun Pour Soi and Allaho are vying for favouritism.
The second-best race on the card is the Grade 1 Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase, a race featuring Ireland’s two highest-profile novice chasers, Monkfish and Envoi Allen. Whichever of the pair comes out on top looks sure to be promoted to favouritism for next season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup.
The other Grade 1 on the card is the eCOMM Merchant Solutions Champion Novice Hurdle.
16.15 eCOMM Merchant Solutions Champion Novice Hurdle 2021
The eCOMM Merchant Solutions Champion Novice Hurdle is run over 2 miles and 100 yards.
eCOMM Merchant Solutions Champion Novice Hurdle 10-Year-Trends 2021
Like with so many races at the Punchestown Festival, Willie Mullins has a magnificent record in the eCOMM Merchant Solutions Champion Novice Hurdle. The maestro of Closutton has won six of the last ten editions, and five of the last six.
The race has produced its fair share of shock winners, with 25/1 (26.00) and 16/1 (17.00) shots winning two of the last four runnings. The odds of the other eight winners have ranged from 1/6 (1.16) and 8/1 (9.00).
Six 5-year-olds, two 6-year-olds, one 7-year-old, and one 8-year-old have won, while winners had their previous run between 15 and 65 days prior to the race. Only four winners had won their previous race, but all had won at least once in the season of their victory.
Who’ll Win The eCOMM Merchant Solutions Champion Novice Hurdle 2021?
Just five runners line up for this year’s renewal of the eCOMM Merchant Solutions Champion Novice Hurdle.
Colonel Mustard looks the least likely winner, as he has plenty to find on ratings. Dewcup also has 13lb to find with the market leaders, but the Ted Walsh-trained 6-year-old will like the ground after getting bogged down in softer conditions on his last few starts. Uhtred may also prefer this faster surface, but he’s yet to win a race this season.
Boring as it may sound, there’s a great chance that one of the two Willie Mullins-trained horses will add to their trainer’s impressive record in the race. Echoes In Rain bids to become the first mare to win in the last decade, but she has some impressive form in the book, including beating subsequent Grade 1 winner Belfast Banter by 8-lengths.
But it looks significant that Paul Townend returns to the saddle after injury this week and chooses Blue Lord, who was running a big race in the Supreme Novice Hurdle until falling when last seen. This speedy type should also be suited by decent ground.
eCOMM Merchant Solutions Champion Novice Hurdle Tip 2021
Blue Lord
17.25 William Hill Champion Chase 2021
The William Hill Champion Chase is run over 2 miles.
William Hill Champion Chase 10-Year-Trends 2021
Willie Mullins has won four of the last ten editions of the William Hill Champion Chase, but English raiders also have a decent record with three wins in the last seven years. 12/1 (13.00) and 9/1 (10.00) were the two biggest priced winners in the last decade, with the other weight returned at odds ranging between 1/9 (1.11) and 5/1 (6.00).
Winners have been as young as seven and as old as 12, with half of the last ten winning their previous race.
Who’ll Win The William Hill Champion Chase 2021?
Daly Tiger and Castlegrace Paddy would be shock winners of what looks an excellent renewal of the William Hill Champion Chase. Cilaos Emery is one of three runners for Willie Mullins, but normally finds this class beyond him, and he was well-beaten in the Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
First Flow was beaten just over six-lengths in the Champion Chase, but he’s better suited by right-handed tracks. However, the faster ground may not be ideal and the form of his Grade 1 win at Ascot has been let down by the placed horses.
That leaves us with Allaho, Chacun Pour Soi, and Nube Negra, and they’re expected to serve up a real treat. Allaho smashed Fakir D’oudairies by 12-lengths at Cheltenham and the runner-up franked that form in some style at Aintree. But that was over further, and he may be vulnerable to the proven 2-milers.
Chacun Pour Soi was odds-on at Cheltenham, but Nube Negra finished in front of him, and the latter should relish having a front-runner like Allaho to aim at. At odds of around 5/1 (6.00), Nube Negra looks the value bet.
William Hill Champion Chase Tip 2021
Nube Negra
18.30 Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase 2021
The Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase is run over 3 miles and 120 yards.
Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase 10-Year-Trends 2021
The last ten winners have been aged between six and eight. There have been a couple of shock winners, but seven were returned at 7/2 (4.50) or lower, while only two had won their previous race. Willie Mullins has trained three of the last 10 winners but none of the last four.
Who’ll Win The Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase 2021?
Willie Mullins saddles three of the four runners. Franco De Port needs to improve for his first try at three miles. Coolrevy also needs to prove she stays the trip but is unbeaten in three runs at Punchestown.
Monkfish is unbeaten over fences but may need to jump better than he did at Cheltenham, and the faster ground may not in his favour.
Willie Mullins trio all have chances but it’s Envoi Allen that is fancied to lower all their colours. One of the few that has got away from Henry de Bromhead in his glorious spring when falling at Cheltenham, he’s fancied to make amends on ground that will play to the strengths of this speedy type.
Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase Tip 2021
Envoi Allen
