Day Three!

We have reached Day 3 of the Punchestown Festival and there are two Grade 1 races to look forward amongst the rest on another good card.  At 5.25pm we have the Novices chase over two miles and Gaelic Warrior is a very short priced favourite.  There are only four runners and Willie Mullins trains three of them so the chances are he will win this race with the only non Closutton trained horse being 200/1.  I like the second favourite, Aintree winner Il Etait Temps, but I think he may be playing second fiddle to his stablemate in this.

Teahupoo was last seen in action winning the Stayers hurdle at Cheltenham and I think he will follow up with a win in the 6.00pm Irish Champion stayers hurdle for the Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy team.  He is a short priced favourite and comes here relatively fresh and he should take all the beating.  The first race at Punchestown today is at 3.40pm with the last of eight races at 7.40pm.

In Britain there are five race meetings on the flat at Redcar, Ayr, Lingfield, Doncaster and Chelmsford.

Yesterday at Punchestown Willie Mullins won the Grade 1 novices hurdle over three miles with Dancing City, the Champion Bumper with Redemption Day. The Punchestown Gold Cup was won by last year's winner Fastorslow, with Galopin Des Champs for the second year finishing in second. The score between the two horses is three wins apiece now.  

I read yesterday that Josh Moore will be joining father Gary on the training licence at Cisswood stables, this follows similar news from Jackdaws Castle a few days ago.  Josh was forced to retire from riding last year, following serious injury and has been going racing a lot to represent the team in recent times.  Jamie is the more recently retired jockey and he is heavily involved in the yard as well and it seems he may join his brother’s name on the licence one day in the future as well. Gary and Josh have their first official runner together at Lingfield this afternoon, Platinum Prince and you wouldn’t bet them making a winning start.

Last night Borussia Dortmund 1-0 Paris St Germain in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final match. PSG controlled much of the first half and but failed to record a shot on target.

There is one Premier League football match this evening with Chelsea at home to Spurs at 7.30pm.

Dad: “What is the difference between a piano, a tuna and a pot of glue?”

Me: “I don’t know”.

Dad: “You can tuna piano but you can’t piano a tuna!”

Me: “What about the pot of glue?”

Dad: “I knew you would get stuck on that!”

Have a great day!