Punchestown festival day three naps: best betting tips from our experts

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

Rumi

3.40 Punchestown

By Alan Sweetman

Edward O'Grady's recent Flat winner Rumi appeals an attractive bet in the handicap hurdle that kicks off the third day of the festival.

Winner of a maiden hurdle by eight lengths at the 2022 Listowel festival, he took a bad fall two out at Ballinrobe a year ago, but showed no ill effects when delivered by apprentice Cian Horgan to win a staying handicap on his return to action at Gowran last week.

Considering the company O'Grady asked him to keep after his Listowel win, a mark of 115 looks good for his first handicap.

Rumi15:40 Punchestown

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Jky: Phillip Enright Tnr: E J O'Grady

Saint Roi

4.15 Punchestown

By Tom Segal

Saint Roi was set too much to do on testing ground at Cheltenham and didn't jump that fluently, but he was a totally different horse at Aintree when jumping much better than usual and was the only horse to get anywhere near Sans Bruit.

He is 2lb higher here but the JP McManus team has booked the excellent 5lb claimer Aidan Kelly and as a Grade 1 and County Hurdle winner, Saint Roi undoubtedly has the class to win this if things go his way.  

Saint Roi16:15 Punchestown

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Jky: Aidan Kelly (5lb)Tnr: W P Mullins

Queensbury Boy

7.40 Punchestown

By Graeme Rodway

Harry Derham had Brentford Hope finish second in a handicap hurdle on Tuesday and he might go one better with Queensbury Boy here.

He was bought for £130,000 by David Maxwell after landing an Irish point in March 2023 and followed up by making a winning bumper debut for his owner at Chepstow in December. 

That form still leaves him with a lot to find against the best of the Irish, but Derham has established himself as a coming force in the training ranks and probably wouldn’t risk such a good prospect unless he thought he were up to it. It is worth taking a chance that view is right.

Queensbury Boy19:40 Punchestown

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Jky: Mr David Maxwell Tnr: Harry Derham

Read more . . .

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