Punchestown Thursday preview Punchestown plays host to the Solwhit v Quevega battle on Thursday with the first of eight races due off at 3.40pm. 3.40 Race: This is an example of why Willie Mullins wins so many races. His MARITO, which has done very well over fences and would have options over fences this week, reverts to hurdles with conditions very much in his favour. He won once over hurdles in France and showed a high level of form over fences before falling, when thereabouts, at Cheltenham. Provided he shows no ill affects from that, he should take beating. British Champion Trainer Nicky Henderson has done the same thing with his Malt Master who also reverts to hurdling following a good spell chasing. However he may lack a little to beat MARITO. You Must Know Me has shown glimpses of real ability but is on a retrieval mission and looks as though his novice chase status is being protected until next season while the same could be said of Mackeys Forge, who has been frustrating to follow in all codes, despite his consistency. Rye Martini is every inch a chaser in the making while Frawley, a high class bumper performer, has a huge layoff to overcome but cannot be totally dismissed. (TW) 4.15 PLAN A might well 'come alive' here despite failing to show his best hurdles form over fences thus far. However he was a talented hurdler (finished fourth in the Galway Hurdle) and has looked the type to do well in handicap chases, especially from his lenient enough looking mark. The market will be all important in revealing his chances but it would be a surprise if he didn't have a few supporters at such a big meeting. Stablemate Barneys Honour has done consistently well in recent times and carries a light weight from which he can prove competitive while both Uncle Tom Cobley, a little unlucky behind his Thurles conqueror Darenjan, have claims on revised terms.Lead Kindly Light is consistent and can also figure. (TW) 4.50 BIG SHU beat five of these at Cheltenham and there looks no reason to look beyond him now. He was beaten by Arabella Boy here prior to Cheltenham but that rival then disappointed at Cheltenham. Outlaw Pete may give the selection most to worry about having run well at Cheltenham while Uncle Junior and Bostons Angel have both taken well to banks racing having had very successful careers on more conventional races. Arabella Boy's stablemate Star Neuville could be anything having shown plenty ability over hurdles/fences but faces a baptism of fire on his banks debut and is best watched today. (TW) 5.30 SOLWHIT, whose stumbling block to stardom was only thwarted by Hurricane Fly in years past, comes into the race in top form and having beaten the best of the 'boys' (including today's rivals Holywell, at Aintree, and Reve de Sivola and Ziadpour at Cheltenham). There had been a doubt about his participation (due to his Aintree exertions) until recent days but he is selected in the belief that he has beaten more that Quevega has beaten in recent times. Intriguingly, the pair met at this Festival, over two miles, in 2009, when SOLWHIT defeated Quevega by three lengths into third. However, to complicate things further, Quevega is now 2lbs better off for that run. Pertemps Final winner Holywell looks likely to be involved for the places while Fiveforthree should benefit from his recent Cheltenham reappearance run and can also figure for the placings. Reve de Sivola, which has run 16 times at Cheltenham, needs to improve to win while Zaidpour might also struggle. (TW) 6.05 The step up in trip and the slightly better ground did the trick for CALL ROG at Fairyhouse and he looks worth following to repeat the dose here. He won with a nice bit in hand then and the 9lb rise he got for that looks lenient enough. Acapulco had hinted at a return to form at Naas in February and delivered last time at Cork last month. He has plenty of ability (ran in a Derby) on his day and the 6lb he got for the last victory also doesn't look overharsh. He looks the danger. The novice Operating emerged with plenty of credit in a hot Grade 2 at Fairyhouse and stepping up in trip here looks interesting off a fair enough looking mark. Ruby Walsh sticks with Sarabad from the Willie Mullins duo, and while he has to be respected, he needs to leave behind a poor run at Fairyhouse.%0AFollowmeuptocarlow handled the step up to this trip well at Fairyhouse last time and could have place prospects while the lightly race Roque Angel may be capable of better. (GC) 6.40 There isn't a lot between the novice chasers this season and this looks another tricky contest. Realt Mor will no doubt set a strong pace but surely they won't give him as much rope again after trail blazing victories on his last two starts. Special Tiara, who also likes to race prominently, produced by far his best performance when scoring at Aintree but the better ground there may have been the difference and it would be no surprise if ALDERWOOD could turn around the form here. He just couldn't get going then and his jumping let him down a touch. He is generally a strong finisher and having won here in testing conditions last season may be able to repeat the trick. Benefficient looks a big danger. He beat what was regarded as the best of the English novices in Dynaste at Cheltenham and that rival has been a cosy winner at Aintree since. He probably did that rival for toe at Prestbury Park and is equally as capable back at the minimum trip. Baily Green ran a cracker at Cheltenham but was poor behind Special Tiara at Aintree and needs to leave that behind while the same can be said for Arvika Ligeonniere, who was very good in the first half of the season but failed to shine at Cheltenham. (GC) 7.15 This looks a nice race for UPSIE who made a big impression when winning on her Irish debut at Naas in February. She already had two Flat victories to her name in France before joining Willie Mullins and looked a smart recruit on her jumping debut. She had to overcome trouble in running then and it was the way she quickened that marked her out as a serious prospect. Mullins also has Twigline and she could prove the main danger. She just lost out in a tight finish to a decent mare in Missunited at Limerick last month. The winner ran poorly since but is better than that and on overall form it looks a good effort. Speckled Wood has a long way to go to emulate her famous mother but looks progressive and won well when taking a handicap at Clonmel last month. She's only had four runs and looks open to more improvement so could get involved here. Bobbina beat a couple of decent sorts when scoring at Limerick earlier this month and looks to have place prospects here. (GC) 7.45 The obvious place to start in these bumpers is with the Willie Mullins runner but although Turnandgo won impressively last time at Clonmel that looked a weak enough bumper and the form of the race he was beaten in at the same venue previously looks ordinary enough with the winner beaten in a moderate enough contest in England since. It may pay to side with CAPTAIN CUTTER. Nicky Henderson likes to have winners here and this gelding was third in a hot looking bumper at Ascot in February having previously won on his debut at the same venue in testing conditions. Quickpick Vic looks to have plenty of ability but needs to settle better and had little left to offer at the business end at Aintree last time. Kolaphos is a bit of a dark horse having won his sole start at Sedgefield last August. That was probably an ordinary contest but he was impressive in winning it. He has since joined Martin Brassil and any market moves would be interesting. (GC)
