Smoking Aces to relish stamina test

RACING:THE FINAL bits of the 2012 Punchestown festival will be wrapped up this evening with Smoking Aces fancied to land the €25,000 feature.

A three- and three-quarter-mile chase, cancelled due to the weather a fortnight ago, will take a lot of getting on testing ground. But a stamina test is just what Smoking Aces relishes, judged by a win over a similar trip at Fairyhouse during the winter.

A light weight guaranteed by the presence of The Midnight Club helps too while ground conditions shouldn’t really suit Vic Venturi, who ran a fine fourth to Tidal Bay at Sandown.

Some star names line up for the hunters chase, including the veteran former Cheltenham festival winner Whyso Mayo. On The Fringe is more than half his age, though, and at his best should be hard to beat.

Arvika Ligeonniere hasn’t run in over two years and was a frustrating sort over hurdles. But his best form includes a fourth to Berties Dream in the Albert Bartlett and he is an interesting contender for the Beginners Chase.

* Allied Powers claimed victory for Michael Bell in the Prix d’Hedouville at Longchamp yesterday. The seven-year-old was partnered by Ioritz Mendizabal in the Group Three event over 12 furlongs.