Punchestown Festival

STAR EVENT: Punchestown Festival
Sprinter Sacre runs at 5.30pm
TIME: 3.40 – 7.15pm
TV: ATR

After some lousy tipping over the last few days the wheels came back on last night when over 2.5 goals (admittedly at short odds) obliged in Man U v Aston Villa. It was the first 10 point bet of the column.

Man U won their 20th Premier League title with a month to spare. Nothing more to add really except that Van Persie’s second goal was an absolute stunner.

On the playlist during the post-match celebrations were We Are The Champions (yawn, so predictable…) and rather more intelligently Not Nineteen Forever.

Talking of 19 – 19 lengths was the distance the imperious Sprinter Sacre put between himself and Sizing Europe at the Cheltenham Festival and how could you bet against him dishing out the same treatment in the Punchestown Champion Chase at 5.30 this afternoon.

For many people the odds don’t matter 1/5, 1/10, 1/20 whatever. It’s the Frankel and (down under) Black Caviar moments in time when you just stand back and salute great racehorses.

It’s incredible how we have been blessed with such stars in a short space of time and well done to connections of all three mentioned horses for running them frequently. We’d become too used to seeing the stars wrapped in cotton wool, especially on the flat, and even Sprinter Sacre’s trainer Nicky Henderson has acknowledged Sprinter Sacre is now ‘owned’ by the public.

Superb to see him campaigned at the Cheltenhan, Aintree and Punchestown Festivals.

It’s the start of five great days racing in Ireland and with Hurricane Fly, Quevega and Our Conor also strutting their stuff it really does look one of the best Festival’s in living memory.

A bet for today? We like Moyle Park in the bumper at 6.05. He joined Willie Mullins after a four length win on debut for trainer David Kelly at Leopardstown and has been targeted for this race. Mullins is very bullish and the early market signals at Star Sports are strong.

STAR FORECAST
(stake between 0.5 and 10 points)
4 points win MOYLE PARK (6.05 Punchestown)

(+4 points Monday)

Agree OR disagree? Call Star Sports on 08000 521 321 to place your bet.