Horse Racing Tips: 3 best bets at Punchestown on Wednesday

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21 February 2023

Horse Racing Tips: 3 best bets at Punchestown on Wednesday

James Shortt’s Selections

13:05 – Fameaftertheglory
14:15 – Queens Brook
17:10 – Speculatrix

13:05 – Fameaftertheglory

We kick off the action at Punchestown this Wednesday in the 13:05, the Racing TV Maiden Hurdle. It’s a very open contest and a big enough field as well. The horse I’m gonna go for in this race is FAMEAFTERTHEGLORY. This horse is trained by Gavin Cromwell and Donoghue is in the saddle. This horse has been mixing it up over hurdles and over fences and has a good bit of experience now on the racetrack. Had a decent performance the last day when racing a Down Royal, finishing a decent enough third on that occasion, hopefully can progress and move on from that run.

It is an open contest but this horse has good experience, and it’s now dropping back into maiden hurdle company after that novice hurdle. He is a former point to point and bumper winner. Ground conditions should be in the horse’s favour and I think Keith Donoghue will try and be quite forward, he could attempt to make all here on this horse. Hopefully Gavin Cromwell’s Fameaftertheglory bags himself an opening winner here.

14:15 – Queens Brook

We’re looking at the Quevega Mares’ Hurdle next, a Grade III contest at Punchestown. This race, named after the wonderful Quevega, who Willie Mullins used to train. She was a talented mare as we all know, and Willie Mullins and the Closutton team have really farmed this race over the years. Brandy Love is back on the racetrack, making her seasonal return in new colours, but she’s now owned by the Donnelly family, and I’ll be interested to see how she gets on.

She’s not been seen since Fairyhouse last April. She faces good opposition here but she has to give weight away, 9lbs to Queens Brook and Alfie Rose, and 12lbs to others in the field. She’s lightly raced over hurdles, this is her fourth start and we’ll have to see how she gets on. She had a tendency to jump left but we know she’s talented. Will she be able to win on her comeback after an absence?

The one who has the fitness edge is QUEENS BROOK. I’m going to side with this one for Gordon Elliott and the Bective Stud team. This horse was second in this race 12 months ago, and of course, Marie’s Rock was too good at the Cheltenham Festival last March against her. She can bounce back from being turned over at Leopardstown over Christmas as she’s a good record here at Punchestown as well.

She previously had won and scored in Listed company at this venue back in November. So with the fitness edge and getting 9lbs from Brandy Love, it’s Queen’s Brook for me in the Quevega Mares’ Hurdle.

17:10 – Speculatrix

We have a Bumper to close the card here at Punchestown and it could go the way of Gordan Elliot and the Gigginstown team. They introduced a really nice newcomer last Saturday at Gowran Park in Brighterdaysahead, and they have another newcomer here who could take all the beating, SPECULATRIX.

She’s a daughter of No Risk At All and she has links to Sam Crow in the dam side of the pedigree. She could be smart enough here to win on her racecourse debut.

Harry Swan is in the saddle and Gordon Elliott has done well in this race in recent years.