Betfair ambassador Gordon Elliott has runners at Punchestown on Thursday. Check out his thoughts.
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Best Chance – Riviere D’etel (13:35)
12:30 Run Wild Fred
If I’m honest I’m very disappointed with how his novice chasing season has gone so far. He was a quality staying novice hurdler but since his first run over fences at Limerick he has gone extremely idle and lazy and he never travelled at all the last day. I’ve put blinkers on him to sharpen him up and I know he has the ability to win this race but it’s a question of whether he puts in the effort.
13:35 Raamez, Saeer and Riviere D’etel
Raamez is a good looking horse who we picked up at the horses in training sale in Newmarket having previously raced in France. He’s a lovely stamp of a horse and looks like he will be at home over jumps and I’m happy with what he has shown so far in his schooling. He should make a reasonable juvenile hurdler and I’m hoping for a nice run but he will improve for this run and better ground.
Saeer was a lightly raced horse on the flat in England where he showed promise on a couple of occasions. He has schooled well and seems a nice, straight forward type who should progress over the next few months. I think he will learn a lot from this so I’m hoping for a solid run and I know he will do better in time.
Riviere D’etel is an interesting filly. She came to us in the autumn off one run over jumps in France where she finished second in a race at Auteuil. She looked to have a lovely way of going that day and I hope she will make a nice juvenile for us this season. Since coming to us we have given her plenty of time to let her settle in the routine here and she has done well and really come forward over the last month or so. She works like a nice type and I’d hope she will go well.
14:05 Dallas Des Pictons
He has lost his way a bit. I had high hopes for him as a chaser but he just seemed to lose all confidence over fences and he didn’t show much when we tried him back over hurdles at Clonmel last time. I haven’t given up on him and I’m hoping a few runs over hurdles in small fields will help his confidence. He seems to be in reasonable form at home so hopefully he can step forward on what he showed at Clonmel. He would want better ground though.
14:40 Campeador
He hasn’t developed into the horse we once hoped he would but I do think he has run respectably on his three runs this season and that gives me hope that he could yet win a few more races for us. He found two miles too sharp in a decent handicap last time so the switch to this longer trip will help him. This won’t be easy off top weight and he is probably best watched but his last few runs would give him some sort of chance.
15:40 Humble Glory
She showed promise in point-to-points and started off for us with a very pleasing run in a Tramore maiden hurdle a few weeks ago when she was possibly a bit unlucky. I think she is good enough to win a mares bumper which is why we are going this route with her and this two and a quarter mile trip will help her. She has come on for her first run and I’d be expecting her to be right there at the finish.
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