At The Races

Barry Geraghty's blog (28 April)
28 Apr 2012

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Well, against the odds we’ve arrived at the final day of the Punchestown Festival and I’d be pretty certain there would have been plenty ready to bet against that happening on Tuesday lunchtime.

This last day is as competitive as the first four but I think I’ve got a very good chance of finishing the meeting on a winner with UNE ARTISTE (5.05) for Nicky Henderson in the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association Fillies Scheme E.B.F. Mares Hurdle.

When I was looking at my rides at the beginning of the week I thought she was my most solid chance of a winner and I’ve no reason to change my opinion.

There’s a lot in her favour, not least the ground, because although she handles good going, she’s very smart when the mud’s about.

Une Artiste is a filly coming into form at just the right time.

She won the Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival on good ground in very smart style when Jerry McGrath rode her plus last week at Cheltenham again she couldn’t have been more impressive for me when we won the listed mares’ novice hurdle on soft ground.

It was very soft when she won her British debut at Haydock in February and before that she’d done all her winning on very soft or heavy in the French provinces.

Given all those factors I don’t think there’s a box that remains un-ticked because although the grade three mares’ hurdle will be her first run over two and a quarter outside of France, she’s won on heavy over that trip at Pau and most definitely wasn’t stopping at Cheltenham.

I’m back on CHINA ROCK (3.15) in the Punchestown Gold Cup for the first time since the 2011 Cheltenham Gold Cup and I’m hoping for some place money.

One thing is sure; he’ll be much better suited by this trip than the two miles on Tuesday when he was fourth to Sizing Europe in the Boylesports.com Champion Chase.

But I reckon Rubi Light will take all the beating.

He was very good when he beat Joncol on heavy in early December and his next run 17 days later probably came too quick when he was second to Synchronised.

And it was a very good performance to finish seven lengths behind myself and Riverside Theatre in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham on ground that would have been quick enough.

Edward O’Grady decided against running TRANQUIL SEA (3.50) in the Gold Cup in favour of carrying top weight in the Guinness Handicap Chase over two and a half miles.

I certainly think he has a better winning chance, especially as the handicapper didn’t move him off 154 when we beat Zaarito over this trip at Navan in March.

He’ll handle the ground well enough and a wind op has certainly helped him but I think it’s interesting the AP has opted to ride Tranquil Sea’s stablemate Osana instead of the likely favourite Bob Lingo, who is also owned by J P McManus.

To my mind, Bob Lingo is the form choice.

I have a very live chance of taking the AES Champion Four-Year-old Hurdle (4.30) on WINGTIPS for Tony Martin.

It was a massive step up from his previous two runs over hurdles when he was fifth, beaten about eight lengths but staying on in the Triumph Hurdle.

I’m aware that leaves him a bit to find on Hisaabaat but conditions will be completely different and I’m anticipating a big race in which I’d be expecting Balder Succes to cause everyone a big problem.

He fell at the fourth in the Triumph, didn’t have a hard race and seemed to revel in the mud when he won at Plumpton.

I ride CAPELLANUS (5.40) in the Setantabet.com Handicap Hurdle over two and a half miles but this is a near impossible race to get a handle on.

I know my lad goes in the ground because we won on it at Galway in October but I could find five others with good chances, too.

We could be in the money and one joining us might be Immediate Response, who is on a roll for Willie Mullins.