Punchestown Gold Cup: Trends suggest Bravemansgame can run Galopin Des Champs close
- Andrew of Fiosrach
- 25 April 2023
The trends analysis of Andrew of Fiosrach earned some profit from Anna Bunina’s third place in Saturday’s Scottish Champion Hurdle, so he’s hoping for better in Wednesday’s big race at Punchestown.
17:55 Punchestown - Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup (Grade 1) (3 miles 30 yards)
The Punchestown Gold Cup brings together the top long-distance chasers in Ireland plus one from Britain, and coming at the end of a long season, it will be interesting to see which horses have enough in the tank to bring their best to this race.
There are only six runners, but they include the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs, who is currently the 1/3 favourite.
Other runners include the Gold Cup runner-up Bravemansgame and the Ryanair winner Envoi Allen, plus Hewick (Bet365 winner), Fury Road and Fastorslow.
Using the trends above the race is whittled down to two runners and they finished first and second on their last starts in the Gold Cup - Galopin Des Champs and Bravemansgame.
Suggested bet: Bravemansgame each-way in the 17:55 at Punchestown
Bravemansgame would have run at Aintree two weeks ago but for the intervention of the Financial Services Authority, which brought a court injunction to stop the horse running due to an investigation into one of the owners.
The horse has since been sold to the other owners, which allows him to take his place here.
This of course is Plan B as the horse would have been brought back to a peak two weeks ago for the Aintree race, so the big question is whether Paul Nicholls has been able to get him back to 100 per cent race ready?
Galopin Des Champs is a wonderful animal and has proved himself at the extended Gold Cup trip and at this trip over three miles and has course form to his name as well.
At 1/3 he is obviously the most likely winner here, but I think over three miles
Bravemansgame, if fully primed, should get closer to his rival.
Paul Nicholls has managed to win this race three times, so I am willing to trust
Bravemansgame here and for those more conservative bettors you could go each way and still get a small return if he finishes second.
