talkSPORT betting tips – Best horse racing bets and expert advice for Punchestown

Following on from Haydock on Saturday there is a Grand National Trial on offer at Punchestown as part of their Sunday afternoon card.

Their Listed Grand National Trial Handicap Chase is due off at 2.35 and will be a thorough stamina test over a three-mile-three-furlong trip.

The card at the Co Kildare venue also includes the Listed Madigan Group Irish EBF Sheila Bourke Novice Hurdle (3.05) with eight races at Punchestown from 1.35-5.10 and conditions forecast as ‘heavy’. Our expert, Enda McElhinney, has a trio of selections to look out for in Ireland on Sunday afternoon.

Sunday’s tips

• 2.35 Punchestown – Stormy Judge
• 3.05 – Punchestown – No Flies On Him
• 4.10 – Punchestown – Jasmin De Cotte

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2.35 Punchestown – Stormy Judge

Gordon Elliott has a fine record in this Grand National Trial and accounts for a quarter of the field with four of the 16 runners. Jack Kennedy partners Where It All Began, who must improve upped in trip, while all of Royal Thief (Sam Ewing), Dunboyne (Keith Donoghue) and Frontal Assault (Danny Gilligan) have reasons for doubt.

The Willie Mullins-trained We’llhavewan is likely to start favourite under Paul Townend but has to prove that the promising form he’s demonstrated over hurdles in his most recent starts can be transferred to this discipline.

All of that can help can open the door for Pat Fahy’s contender STORMY JUDGE to land this €60,000 pot.

He was sent off co-favourite for the Scottish Grand National in 2022 but a couple of major mid-race jumping errors were his undoing and he was absent for 588 days afterwards.

He built up his fitness with three starts over hurdles from November-late December and arrives following a good fourth in the Thyestes at Gowran Park last month off this rating.

He might have done even better there bar pecking at the final obstacle and the fact he handles heavy ground and promises to see this trip out are positives, as is the booking of JJ Slevin in the plate. It has been a tough 12 months or so for his yard, but Fahy could enjoy a very welcome winner here.

3.05 – Punchestown – No Flies On Him

The Mullins-trained Tullyhill is going to be a popular choice here after his maiden win at Naas five weeks ago but he meets a rival of some considerable substance in NO FLIES ON HIM in the JP McManus hoops for trainer Edward O’Grady.

The Westerner gelding won his point-to-point at Knockanard 12 months ago for Derek O’Connor and he beat Jango Baie in second that afternoon. That rival was a Grade 1 novice hurdle winner at Aintree over Christmas for Nicky Henderson.

On the same afternoon, No Flies On Him debuted under Rules at Leopardstown, winning a 2m maiden from D B Cooper in second and the more experienced Ascending in third.

Connections think enough of him that he has two Grade 1 novice entries in Cheltenham next month and he can raise his profile by landing this Listed contest.

4.10 – Punchestown – Jasmin De Cotte

A tricky novice handicap hurdle over just shy of 2m7f but one in which JASMIN DE COTTE could be a notable contender for the Paul Nolan yard.

The Toberona Stables handler saw the likes of Park Of Kings and Feet Of A Dancer run well at the Dublin Racing Festival this month and his team continue in good form, as evidenced with the win of Scarbrook at Thurles in midweek on his stable bow.

Jasmin De Cotte was second-best in a point-to-point last March and has shaped with some promise in all three starts under Rules since moving to this yard.

He was a fairly remote third behind a Mullins hotpot at Fairyhouse last month but that was over a bare two-miles and this trip is more likely to suit on his handicap bow from what could be a lenient opening mark of 106.

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