Having ended the season on Saturday with our best ever total of 48 winners we are now in Ireland with a team of half a dozen horses for the Punchestown Festival.
It’s a meeting we always like to target. No wonder, because we’ve enjoyed a fair bit of success there over the last few years.
Pride of place on Thursday goes to Brookie in the Grade 1 novice chase. He will like the drying ground and can hopefully back up his super run into second place in the Grade 1 novice chase at Aintree. He is now up to a mark of 150 which puts him in the mix bar Majborough, the odds-on favourite.
Then it’s the turn of Gabriel’s Getaway in the 2m handicap chase. He won a valuable handicap in January 2024, is on a good mark and should be competitive. He did have a blip just after his comeback run behind Brookie at Doncaster two months ago but seems fine now.
On Friday I am very much hoping that Catchintsavo doesn’t get balloted out of the maiden bumper. He’s twice finished runner up in decent bumpers in the UK and looks to have a fair chance if he makes the cut.
On Saturday we have three runners including the ageless marvel Sam Brown who has enjoyed another rewarding campaign and will once again shoulder top weight in the Listed handicap Chase named after Pat Taaffe, a race he looked sure to win back in 2023 until he fell in front two out when racing off a mark of 150. He still loves the job and feels as good as ever.
Jasmin de Grugy also goes for the Pat Taaffe. He won 5 races in a row including his first two chases before finishing a creditable third on his latest start at Newbury. I’ve freshened him up since then and am hopeful he can progress again off a very light weight.
On the same day Dreaming Blue takes his chance in the three mile, seven furlong handicap Chase. He has enjoyed another very good season, winning a valuable chase at Ludlow and also ran a fantastic race in defeat when upped in class at Sandown in a 50k handicap.
Good Luck Team Honeyball… 👍 Sue Venn