There are a couple of interesting races on this afternoon\u2019s programme in Punchestown, and Heart Wood can make a winning return to action in the Grade Three BetVictor Chase.<\/p>\n
The seven-year-old is trained by Henry de Bromhead, who has won this race three times in the last nine years, and his charge has a fine record off a layoff.<\/p>\n
Last season, on his return to action, the selection contested a listed chase in Wexford and ran out the easiest of winners. He followed up by pushing Croke Park, who re-opposes, to a neck in a Grade One at Fairyhouse, and could be considered slightly unlucky on that occasion as he made significant late gains to grab second spot.<\/p>\n
He then finished an honourable fourth in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown before appearing in Cheltenham, off a break, and finishing runner-up to easy winner Fact To File in the Ryanair Chase.<\/p>\n
His final run of the season is easily forgiven, and the not-fully-exposed gelding can make the most of the weight he receives from old rival Croke Park and Galway Plate winner Western Fold.<\/p>\n
The last-named has been one of the stars of the summer, following up a Tipperary beginners\u2019 chase with a Mayo National, Galway Plate and a Grade Two at Gowran. Given his fitness, it would be folly to dismiss his claims, but this is certainly a tougher assignment trying to give 8lbs to a horse rated 3lbs his superior.<\/p>\n
The other Grade Three on the card is the BetVictor Novice Chase and King Of Kingsfield can get straight back to winning ways following his third-place finish in a similar race in Roscommon.<\/p>\n
While he was well positioned throughout that race, he was unable to quicken up well enough to land a meaningful blow. However, he was beaten only three lengths in total and was noted staying on well to the line.<\/p>\n
The extra couple of furlongs of this race should be a positive for Gordon Elliott\u2019s gelding who won chases at Galway and Ballinrobe.<\/p>\n
Birdie Or Bust is in receipt of 7lbs from the selection and while she is officially 11lbs his inferior, she has upside and is respected.<\/p>\n
The opening race, a two-mile maiden hurdle, is worth a second glance. Elliott\u2019s Kovanis has a little to prove following a disappointing effort when last seen, but prior to that he won on his bumper debut having cost \u20ac300,000 following a winning start in point to points.<\/p>\n
A race his trainer has won with Eskylane, Labaik, and Samcro in the last nine years, this Gigginstown House Stud-owned gelding can make a winning start over timber.<\/p>\n
Useful Flat horse Urban War has potential upside, but bigger dangers are likely to come from Vitorio Piel, who won a Punchestown festival bumper on his only previous outing, and Gameball, who has joined Henry de Bromhead since running away with a Ballinrobe bumper on his only outing for Andy Slattery.<\/p>\n
\n PUNCHESTOWN\u00a0\n <\/p>\n
1:55 Kovanis\u00a0<\/p>\n
2:30 Spick And Span\u00a0<\/p>\n
3:05 Avalo\u00a0<\/p>\n
3:35 King Of Kingsfield (nb)\u00a0<\/p>\n
4:05 Heart Wood (nap)\u00a0<\/p>\n
4:35 Aurea Fortuna\u00a0<\/p>\n
5:05 Maverick Mack\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n Next best\u00a0\n <\/p>\n
1:55 Vitorio Piel\u00a0<\/p>\n
2:30 Galileo Springs\u00a0<\/p>\n
3:05 Linden Arden\u00a0<\/p>\n
3:35 Birdie Or Bust\u00a0<\/p>\n
4:05 Western Fold\u00a0<\/p>\n
4:35 He Fitz In\u00a0<\/p>\n
5:05 Takiwatanga<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"There are a couple of interesting races on this afternoon\u2019s programme in Punchestown, and Heart Wood can make…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":500617,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4107],"tags":[1071,79,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-500616","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-racing","8":"tag-racing","9":"tag-sports","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115376405094242883","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/500616","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=500616"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/500616\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/500617"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=500616"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=500616"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=500616"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}