Punchestown Day Three Preview: Duc can prove too sharp for Defi

Unlike the first two days of the Punchestown Festival, there are only two Grade 1s on the card on Thursday, with the Champion Stayers Hurdle being the main event. The race was dominated by the high-class mare Quevega between 2010 and 2013, where she won four consecutive renewals, before having her winning streak ended as a ten-year-old when finishing runner-up to Jetson in 2014. She was ultimately retired after, and she remains the winning-most horse in the race, just like her trainer and regular jockey Ruby Walsh, who have amounted 12 wins in the race between them since 2003.

This year they team up with Timeform top-rated Bapaume, who has looked better than ever this season despite only getting his head in front once.  That win came overseas in the Group 2 Prix La Barka at Auteuil, where he beat Le Grand Luce by six and a half lengths in June. Since then, he has hit the frame in all four of his starts, most notably when finishing fourth to Paisley Park in the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last time. He would have likely finished closer, too, had his run from the rear started sooner, but he came out of his toughest test yet with his reputation enhanced, not looking at all out of place in such company. This field doesn’t look as deep and it will be disappointing if Bapaume doesn’t go very close.

Paisley Park stormed home to record a fairytale success in the Sun Racing Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham. Read our report on https://t.co/A8az1MHRCF which includes a full replay plus interviews with winning connections. ⬇️https://t.co/AeulhhWv3J pic.twitter.com/ehJRIhIHtw

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 14, 2019

His main danger – according to the betting, anyway – is the Dan Skelton-trained Aux Ptits Soins, who has enjoyed a good first season with the yard, winning twice, his best effort coming when taking a 21-runner handicap at Aintree’s Grand National meeting. Skelton has enjoyed his best ever campaign, becoming the first National Hunt trainer since Martin Pipe to saddle over 200 winners in a single season and, though that will obviously rate number one of his accomplishments so far, getting this horse back to his best will surely be high on the list, also. Clearly a fragile sort, Aux Ptits Soins proved himself a smart type at Aintree last time, and will be no back number back in Grade 1 company if arriving in the same form.

Of Gordon Elliott’s trio of entries, it is Cracking Smart who makes the most appeal for all he could only finish eleventh in the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival last time. That doesn’t tell the whole story of the race, however, having been up with the pace for much of the way and sent for home too soon in testing conditions. He can be marked up for that effort and wouldn’t be out of place in what doesn’t look the strongest Grade 1.

Others to note include Barcardys, Not Many Left and Vision des Flos. The former has had another truncated season over fences, but showed he still has plenty to offer in this sphere when sixth in the Stayers’ Hurdle last time, not ridden to best advantage in the race for the second year running. Not Many Left represents a yard with a good record in this race but would need to improve upon what he has shown so far to figure, while Vision des Flos finally gained reward for his consistency when winning the National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell in February. That form is working out well with the second If The Cap Fits winning the Aintree equivalent of this race next time, but Vision des Flos has been disappointing at Cheltenham since; however, he is well worth a try at three miles.  

The Ryanair Novice Chase just over an hour later on the card looks a cracker, with the Arkle and JLT Chase winners, Duc des Genievres and Defi du Seuil, set to lock horns. Those two are clear of the remainder on Timeform ratings, with the former 4 lb ahead and, over this trip, you have to strongly fancy Duc des Genievres, too. Reverted to more patient tactics with so many by-trade front runners in opposition in the Arkle, there was barely a moment's doubt for backers with the likes of Glen Forsa and Kalashnikov out of the race by the sixth, moving up into third at the water, and still going powerfully when produced to lead three out. It was most impressive as he left for dead those who remained in the straight and he is expected to maintain Willie Mullins’ dominance in this race (has won five of the last six renewals)

Wow! A stunning performance from DUC DES GENIEVRES in the Arkle!

📽️ @RacingTV
pic.twitter.com/NnL1iX0I6y

— TimeformLive (@TimeformLive) March 12, 2019

Defi du Seuil certainly won’t go down without a fight, mind, having proven himself a very smart performer over fences this season having struggled at the highest level over hurdles following his unbeaten juvenile campaign. The six-year-old has won three of his four starts, winning the battle with Lostintranslation for the second time in the JLT at Cheltenham last time. That form looks all the more stronger now, with that rival going on to win the Mildmay Novices’ Chase at Aintree in impressive fashion from the RSA Novices’ Chase winner Topofthegame. However, the drop back to two miles for Defi du Seuil is a slight concern and that strongly swings the pendulum in the favour of Duc des Genievres.

Once-raced over fences, Chacun Pour Soi is an unknown quantity, having bolted up by 31 lengths on his debut for Willie Mullins at Naas in March. The third has come out and franked the form since, and given that was his first run for 36 months, he looked a novice right out of the top drawer. Chacun Pour Soi jumped superbly and travelled powerfully, and it is hard to get a real measure on the form, but, given plenty of time to get over that, it speaks highly of the regard he’s held in that his master trainer is pitching in him here on his next start. Voix du Reve got back on track in the Ryanair Gold Cup Novices' Chase at Fairyhouse last time and deserves his place in this line-up, but like Defi du Seuil, the drop back to two miles at this level isn’t sure to suit.