Punchestown Festival racing tips: Best bets for day 2 on Wednesday, May 1

He was turned over in this race a year ago by Fastorslow and Martin Brassil's stable star is back to defend the crown now along with former Grand National winner Corach Rambler.

There are three Grade 1s on the card on Wednesday, including the Champion Bumper, and Irish racing tipster Enda McElhinney has tips for all eight races.

Don't forget to check out the full racecard, results and live odds in Planet Sport's racing live centre.

Good luck and please gamble responsibly.

(Please be aware selections could become non-runners after article's first publication)

 

Punchestown Wednesday tips in full:

14:30 (Punchestown) Park Of Kings

15:05 (Punchestown) Mi Lucky Cailin

15:40 (Punchestown) Mistergif

16:15 (Punchestown) Better Days Ahead

16:50 (Punchestown) Jasmin De Vaux

17:25 (Punchestown) Galopin Des Champs

18:00 (Punchestown) Brideswell Lad

18:35 (Punchestown) Neon Diamond

 

14:30 (Punchestown) Park Of Kings

A really competitive start to day two, with 25 runners going to post in the Adare Manor Opportunity Series Final Handicap Hurdle.

Henry de Bromhead's Como Park is one to take note of, with improvement likely, but preference is for Paul Nolan's Park Of Kings.

The JP McManus-owned 6YO was a course winner in October and showed his stamina with a solid Dublin Racing Festival run in February over three-miles.

From an unchanged mark he can go close on first handicap start at this intermediate trip.

 

15:05 (Punchestown) Mi Lucky Cailin

The unexposed Blizzard Of Oz needs a close look for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend, while Black Bamboo and Iceberg Theory are notable contenders, but maybe Mi Lucky Cailin can strike off a low weight for Willie McLernon.

She has thrice finished second in maiden company, most recently at Naas behind a Mullins hotpot, and an opening mark of 109 leaves her carrying 10st 8lb here.

She is open to plenty improvement still.

 

15:40 (Punchestown) Mistergif

Willie Mullins and Paul Townend were seen to excellent effect on day one as Daddy Long Legs dropped in class and duly hosed up.

They are aiming to repeat that trick now with Mistergif, a winner at Limerick in January on first start after arriving from France and since far from disgraced in Grade 1 novices' at Cheltenham and Aintree.

He may well be too good for this field.

 

16:15 (Punchestown) Better Days Ahead

Dancing City and Stellar Story have won Grade 1s at Leopardstown, Cheltenham and Aintree this spring but they've had hard races in doing so.

They are well-matched on paper but this could be one dance too many at the end of a long season.

Better Days Ahead has a chance on form and has only had one start since January, winning the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham over 2m4½f in a manner that suggests this extra distance will be within his range.

 

16:50 (Punchestown) Jasmin De Vaux

Patrick Mullins got it spot on at Cheltenham in identifying Jasmin De Vaux as the best of an eight-strong Closutton assault and they were deserving winners in the Cotswolds, with Romeo Coolio behind in second and plenty more of these behind.

There isn't any real temptation to believe they cannot come out on top again now, following Facile Vega and A Dream To Share to make it three-in-a-row following up here after winning at Cheltenham.

 

17:25 (Punchestown) Galopin Des Champs

After winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup last season, Galopin Des Champs turned up here and was stunned by Fastorslow.

Martin Brassil's charge proved that was no fluke by adding the John Durkan here over shorter in November.

But Willie Mullins' outstanding staying chaser has firmly re-established himself since with wins at Leopardstown and Cheltenham, capturing three Grade 1s and rarely having to even contemplate defeat as an option.

He can redeem himself in this race now.

 

18:00 (Punchestown) Brideswell Lad

The Grade 3 HSS Hire Handicap Chase is another tough puzzle.

Top-weight James Du Berlais ran a blinder when second in the Topham at Aintree and this comes up quite quickly for a horse that often flatters to deceive.

Brideswell Lad won at this meeting last spring over further and returns now off the back of a winning effort at Leopardstown (2m5½f, soft) at the start of March.

He's on a career-high mark now but should still be in the shake-up.

 

18:35 (Punchestown) Neon Diamond

It wouldn't be wise to cross off Aurora Vega on the basis of her Dublin Racing Festival reverse.

She'd looked good in going 3-3 before that and could be eyeing revenge on stablemate Fleur Au Fusil now.

Gordon Elliott's Neon Diamond was clear in second behind a Mullins-trained favourite on debut at Leopardstown in March and made no mistake since at Limerick over further.

She has scope for better and rates a sound each-way contender in this finale on day two.

 

READ MORE: Ascot afternoon racing tips: Best bets for Wednesday, May 1