2023 Punchestown festival tips: Thursday's best bets from Racing Post experts

Day three of the Punchestown festival is upon us – but who do our experts fancy most?

Douglas Talking

4.15 Punchestown

By Justin O'Hanlon

The improving mare Dinoblue is likely to make the market after following up her second in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham with a comfortable success at Fairyhouse, but the one to beat could be Douglas Talking representing the Grand National winning combination of Lucinda Russell and Derek Fox. 

The gelded son of Dylan Thomas has made quiet progress in a light campaign this season, readily landing handicap chases at Ayr and Sandown, before taking on much better opposition in the Red Rum Handicap Chase at Aintree two weeks ago. He thrived for the most part under a front-running ride but hung left between the last two fences and made a mistake at the last and was worn down close home by the Henry de Bromhead-trained Dancing On My Own.

This track should really play to his strengths, he gives all the indication of improving and he could take plenty of beating here.

Douglas Talking16:15 Punchestown

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Jky: Derek Fox Tnr: Lucinda Russell

El Fabiolo

6.35 Punchestown

By Kevin Morley

It's hard to oppose El Fabiolo off the back of his impressive Arkle win, which was franked by the runner-up at Aintree. Dysart Dynamo will probably try to serve it up from the front, but has come up short against the selection this term and fellow stablemate Saint Roi can fill the forecast spot if adopting his usual hold-up tactics.

El Fabiolo18:35 Punchestown

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Jky: Paul Townend Tnr: W P Mullins

Douglas Talking

4.15 Punchestown

By Paul Kealy

The lack of British runners at Punchestown is always disappointing, if not exactly a surprise given its proximity to Aintree, but Lucinda Russell is having a crack at the Pigsback.com Handicap Chase (4.15) with her Red Rum runner-up Douglas Talking and he must have an excellent chance.

Russell has yet to train a winner in Ireland, but she hasn't had one with a much better chance than Douglas Talking – none of her runners since 2009 have been shorter than 14-1 – who made a bad mistake at the last at Aintree.

Whether he'd have won or not is another matter, but he went up 5lb for that and, with the Irish handicapper now giving the British a chance, he can run off 4lb lower than he is in Britain.

Grand Annual runner-up Dinoblue is probably the one to beat, but she's gone up 7lb for winning at Fairyhouse since then and this is a better race.

Douglas Talking16:15 Punchestown

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Jky: Derek Fox Tnr: Lucinda Russell

Read these next:

'This may be the day he finally gets his Grade 1' - Paul Kealy with two to back at Punchestown 

The Punt Acca: Harry Wilson's three horse racing tips from across the tracks on Thursday 

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