Punjabi poised to grasp opportunity

Punjabi has had the thankless task of chasing the season's outstanding juvenile Katchit on his last two starts but some valuable compensation looks to be waiting for Nicky Henderson's horse this afternoon

The Ballymore Properties Champion Four-Year-Old Hurdle has proved to be rich pickings for British-trained horses who have won six of the last eight runnings of the Grade One event.

One of them was the Henderson-trained Katarino who completed the Cheltenham-Punchestown double in 1999 and the Lambourn trainer looks to have the goods again this time.

Punjabi ran fourth in this year's Triumph but was runner-up to Katchit around the quicker Aintree track a fortnight ago despite a slight mistake at the third last. One slight worry is that the horse appeared to hang slightly to his left at Liverpool but on this season's evidence, Punjabi looks to have quite a bit in hand of his Irish rivals.

Bahrain Storm impressed in beating Financial Reward at Fairyhouse but still looks to have a lot to do on the figures while Robin Du Bois and Duty might like the ground a little softer.

A Grade One double could be on the cards for the visitors with Royal Shakespeare a possible to upset the home apple-cart in the Swordlestown Cup. The free-wheeling mare Gemini Lucy will be a popular fancy to repeat her front-running heroics from Fairyhouse's Dan Moore Chase but she won't be getting masses of weight this time and her opposition will be wiser too.

Schindlers Hunt was the dominant Irish two-mile novice during the winter but got beaten in the Power Gold Cup last time.

With a fast pace guaranteed, the race could be set up ideally for Royal Shakespeare, a former top hurdler who loves quick ground and whose late-closing style may be dangerous to the front-runners in the race.

Enda Bolger is aiming at a remarkable 10th consecutive triumph in Ireland's longest race, the four-and-a-quarter-mile La Touche Cup over the banks track.

The Limerick trainer has three hopefuls headed by the veteran 2004 winner Spot Thedifference but that horse has to concede 9lb to Tony Martin's Wonderkid, a winner over the banks here last year and who is a different proposition in this sort of race than he shows in ordinary contests.

The star chasers Forget The Past and Point Barrow top the weights in the three-mile handicap hurdle but it is a less high-profile chaser at the bottom of the rankings that could end up taking a lot of beating.

Healy's Pub has his first run over the smaller obstacles since finishing tailed off in this race last year but he put in a fine effort over fences at Liverpool a fortnight ago when fourth to Reveillez. Healy's Pub returned from a long absence from hurdling to win a good race at Fairyhouse a couple of years ago and significantly he managed it from a 9lb lower handicap mark than he races off today.

Better ground conditions could play a big part in the bumper. Jessica Harrington's Chasing Cars has been third twice but looks a type to do much better on a decent surface.

Lord Killucan picked up a point-to-point victory at Stradbally just 11 days ago and can feature in the opener.