Hidden Cyclone © Photo Healy Racing
Jessica Harrington’s Don’t Touch It is the highest-rated horse in action at Punchestown today in the Join The Coral Bet & Get Club Rated Hurdle.
The eight-year-old is owned by JP McManus and has won six times, including at the Punchestown Festival in 2017.
Since then he has been largely disappointing, but he did bounce back to winning ways on his penultimate outing when beating the useful Listen Dear.
However, he was last of seven in the PWC Champion Chase at Gowran last time out and needs to return to something like his best to see off the admirable veteran Hidden Cyclone Gordon Elliott's five-year-old Stooshie and the Francis Casey trained Eight Till Late in a tight four runner affair.
13-year-old Hidden Cyclone is the winner of 15 races and returns to competitive action for the first time on almost a year.
Earlier on the card, in the Download The Coral App 3-Y-O Hurdle, Gordon Elliott appears to hold all the aces. Elysian Plains owned by Gigginstown and ridden by Davy Russell, won his second start over hurdles before unseating at the first next time out.
His chief rival looks to be stablemate Smiling Eliza ridden by Jack Kennedy, who has not been out of the first two in four starts over jumps.
Ruby Walsh continues to ease himself back into action and rides My Sister Sarah in the Enhance Each-Way Every Day At Coral Maiden Hurdle.
The four-year-old filly won a Roscommon bumper by nine lengths and while what she achieved there can be questioned, there does not appear to be much strength in depth to the race.
In the Coral Proud Sponsors Of Irish Racing Beginners Chase, Gigginstown run two — Elliott’s Duca De Thaix who ran at the Cheltenham, Fairyhouse and Punchestown Festivals, and Henry de Bromhead’s Trainwreck
Trainwreck won twice last season over timber and De Bromhead thought enough of him to take on Samcro in the Deloitte Novice Hurdle, which was his last run.
Robert Tyner’s Don’t Kick Nor Bite is 9lb higher than for a recent win, but he had plenty in hand at Roscommon and sets the standard in the “Build Your Bet” On Football With Coral Handicap Chase.
