Saturday's big Grade 2 saw my pick Cape Gentleman finish 2nd. The 8/11 favourite tracked the leader and sat 2nd at halfway. He made a slight mistake at the 8th and soon made no impression on the winner Riviere D'etel the 9/4 chance drew clear to romp home by 21 lengths.
It's a double header on Sunday with 8 races at Punchestown and 7 at Cork. The main event on day 2 at Punchestown Comes at 2.05 when 5 begin the Grade 1 Unibet Morgiana Hurdle. Sharjah won this race in 2018 with his last Victory coming when he picked up a third successive Matheson Hurdle at Leopardstown in December. He looked impressive when runner-up to Honeysuckle in both Champion Hurdles at Cheltenham and on this course when last seen in April and he sets the standard. The main danger is Echoes In Rain a smart hurdler who didn't need to be at his best when achieving his hat-trick win in the Champion Novices Hurdle on this course in April. There is still better to come from him and he should show that in this one. The shortlist is completed by Abacadabras last year’s winner who went on to taste victory in the Aintree Hurdle before being another Honeysuckle victim on this course when last seen,however he should still be respected. The other two in the field have already won this season, Zanahiyr won the WKD Hurdle by 8 lengths at Down Royal 16 days ago while Darasso was a 6 length victor in the Lismullen Hurdle at Navan a week ago but both will need to find more here.
At Cork their big race is the 2.30 when 8 line-up for the Mallow Handicap Chase. Noble Yeats was a little disappointing when 4th in a Grade 3 chase on this course 2 weeks ago. He went off as favourite but his chase debut win at Galway before that is still fresh in the memory and with improvement expected he should bounce back. Epson Du Houx last won at Naas in January and was a respectable 5th in a handicap chase at Punchestown when last seen in April. Despite being off 6 months if he can reproduce his early year form he is the main threat. The other to keep an eye on is Weihnachts who was a creditable 3rd on his season return at Down Royal 16 days ago and should go well again.
Big race predictions: Punchestown: 3: Sharjah Cork: 1: Noble Yeats.
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