Cheek Pieces
Tuesday 25th April
Only one bet on Tuesday after Special Mayson was a non-runner, Kondratiev Wave (3rd 9/4) paid for going too hard up front after tracking across from a wide berth and only just hung on for third.
Wednesday 27th April
Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup (5:55)
Although some of the Punchestown races have cut-up to a handful of runners, it’s a good field declared for the Gold Cup on Wednesday (5:55) and intriguing that Allaho has been declared. The facile winner of the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham for the second successive year is returning to three miles for the first time since finishing fourth in the 2020 Savills Chase. His record over three miles is creditable but certainly lacks the
invincibility of his form over intermediate trips. Gold Cup runner-up Minella Indo is taking him on and is ahead 2-1 on hurdles form between the pair, and 1-0 over fences having finished one length ahead of Allaho in the RSA Insurance Novices' Chase two years ago, when both placed behind Champ. The pair took each other on a long way out that day and set the race up for Champ. British challenger Clan Des
Obeaux returns to defend his crown, and I see no reason why Al Boum Photo, Fakir D'oudairies or Kemboy should reverse the form. A bigger danger to the front three in the betting could be Tornado Flyer if he can cut out the jumping errors of his Gold Cup performance. I think the value is an each-way bet on Minella Indo, Sky Bet are 9/2 to four places:
Punchestown 5:55 – MINELLA INDO – ½ point each-way @ 9/2 (very weak this morning and out to 6/1 with 4 places)
No additional bets for Wednesday