Puncher Clynch pounces

LEOPARDSTOWN REPORT:THE USUAL blizzard of ante-post betting slips from bookmaker representatives were curiously absent after Puncher Clynch's narrow Ballysax Stakes victory at Leopardstown yesterday, and that might sum up the likely affect of the Group Three event on the 2010 classics.

A race that in the past kicked off the classic campaigns of High Chaparral, Sinndar, Galileo and Alamshar certainly looked a more mundane affair yesterday as Puncher Clynch beat the Ballydoyle number two, At First Sight, with hot favourite Mikhail Glinka a head further back in third.

On the back of a slow early pace, the first half dozen were covered by no more than three lengths, and the unlucky horse appeared to be the fifth, Address Unknown, who had nowhere to go for much of the final furlong.

Puncher Clynch brought winning form this season into the race, admittedly in a Dundalk handicap, and Kevin Manning always had him in Position A to pounce on At First Sight, who cut out a slow tempo.

The pair duelled up the straight and it was Jim Bolger’s runner that emerged best.

“He was the same as a two-year-old, never say die and does what he has to do. He keeps pulling out more,” said the jockey.

Bolger admitted: “At the moment he would not be able to cope with real Group One horses, but he would be fine at a level below that. He has had a couple of quick runs and now could have an easy week or two.”

One bookies rep said: “It ended up giving us more questions than answers and the only response from punters was to back St Nicholas Abbey for Epsom (7 to 4 from 2 to 1).”

Despite yesterday’s defeat, Mikhail Glinka could still take part next in next month’s Derrinstown Trial, and Aidan O’Brien said: “He was a bit rusty and they went a slow place so he should come on for the race.”

The Bolger-Manning team had earlier also scored in the mile handicap with the 10 to 1 winner Book Of Numbers. who thrived on the official “good to firm” ground that had resulted in a dozen scheduled starters being taken out before racing even began.

Dermot Weld’s team were slightly anxious about the going for their high-class older horse Famous Name but the 2008 French Derby runner-up made his 11 to 10 starting price look like the bet of the season so far by easily coping with Recharge in the Heritage Stakes.

“A very good performance by a very good horse,” summed up Weld’s son, Kris. “He will go next for either the Prix Du Mugeut (Group Two) at Saint-Cloud or the Amethyst Stakes back here.”

Weld had earlier also scored in the six furlong handicap with another Juddmonte owned horse, Brushed Aside, who was a length too good for Miss Velocity.

Despite missing out in the Ballysax, O’Brien was on the double too, and the classic quotes whizzing around yesterday were for the 2011 Guineas after Zoffany made a winning debut in the juvenile maiden.

The 220,000 Guineas yearling is as low as 20 to 1 for the classic, and his trainer said: “He couldn’t do anymore than win but there is a good bit to go with him yet. Ascot is possible.”

September Morn was a 4 to 6 favourite for the three-year-old maiden but it was the Ballydoyle third-string Snow Blizzard (16 to 1) who made all for a winning debut under Colm O’Donoghue.

Fran Berry was also on the double yesterday, powering the slow-starting Sugar Baby Love to success in the 10 furlong handicap and then easily landing the mile and six handicap on the favourite Haralan.

Travel trouble for Punchestown

THE PUNCHESTOWN authorities fear the disruption to air-travel will affect an estimated 15,000 British visitors to this week’s National Hunt festival, writes Brian O’Connor.

With varying predictions of when air services will return to normality on the back of the volcanic eruption in Iceland, many people are engaged in last-minute attempts to organise alternative travel arrangements.

“I have no doubt it will have an impact on our numbers, but we can’t estimate what sort of impact it will have,” said course manager Richie Galway yesterday.

“Our best guesstimate is that up to 15,000 cross-channel visitors come to Punchestown, so we will have to see what happens this week.”

British champion trainer Paul Nicholls said yesterday: “Denman and Twist Magic are currently on route by ferry. Personally, we tried getting a private plane, but it too has been cancelled. So we are booked on a ferry.”

In racing news, it has been decided the star novice Dunguib will take on his seniors in Friday’s Rabobank Champion Hurdle rather than stick to novice class on Tuesday.

Trainer Philip Fenton said: “We are going to let him take his chance on Friday.

“I hear they are doing a marvellous job with the watering and we have more chance of getting rain between now and Friday rather than between now and Tuesday.”