Punchestown Saturday preview Champion Trainer Willie Mullins is beginning to crank up the pressure on current table-topper Gordon Elliott at present and he unleashes the Rich Ricci owned, well regarded French import Senewalk in the Kildare Now Maiden Hurdle at Punchestown on Saturday. Mullins sent out subsequent triple Grade 1 winner Zaidpour to win this same contest in 2010 and today hopes Senewalk, a 1m5f flat winner when last seen in July 2015 at Les Sables-d'olonne, can live up to some pre-race hype. He said "I hope he's as good as Min was last year - I'm hoping he's as good as the punters are saying. "He's fit and well and ready to start." The eight race card begins with the opening Luna Bar Supporting Cavan GAA 3-Y-O Hurdle where the J.P. McManus owned Landofhopeandglory bids to enhance his reputation. He was second last June’s Curragh Cup and made a winning start over hurdles when winning at Fairyhouse recently. The son of High Chapparal’s trainer Joseph O’Brien today stated “he's in good form and we've been happy with him since his run in Fairyhouse. "It will be good to get some more experience into him and hopefully he can progress." The E30,000 Listed Frontline Security Grabel Mares Hurdle is the feature event where Mullinses and Ricci’s Let’s Dance will be expected to build on some high class efforts in Grade 1 company last season. The Pat Kelly trained Presenting Percy looks attractively handicapped for the Festival 3 For 2 Ticket Offer Novice Handicap Hurdle while the John Joe Walsh trained Davids Charm might be able to win the concluding bumper. By Tom Weekes
