Punchestown Festival Day 1 Tips: Top Betting Advice from Racing Post Experts

The Gordon Elliott-trained six-year-old had a rough run during the race. Despite being hampered before the final hurdle, he managed to secure a third-place finish. Additionally, Firefox showed strong performance at Aintree in the Top Novices’ Hurdle, where he narrowly missed the win by half a length. The upcoming race is expected to have less testing ground, which could favor Firefox to perform well.

Dinoblue and Banbridge are two promising contenders for the race. Sharjah, despite being 11 years old, has an impressive track record and demonstrated exceptional performance at Ayr in a recent novice handicap chase. His victory suggests that he could be underestimated in the upcoming race. It’s worth noting that Mullins has previously achieved success with older horses, as seen with Faugheen’s victory as a 12-year-old.

With Danny Mullins now taking over, Sharjah’s chances in the race appear promising, especially given his outstanding performance at Ayr. Overall, it’s crucial to consider the recent form and performance of each contender. Racing Post offers valuable insights and comprehensive coverage for analyzing the upcoming race.