THE punters graveyard is a moniker reserved for one Irish racecourse above all others but Naas hosts a very decent card today and one favourite who can help to sway results back the way of punters is Sempre Medici in the Grade 3 Limestone Lad hurdle.

Having won his maiden hurdle on heavy ground, he proceeded to run a blinder in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham on his handicap debut when sixth to Wicklow Brave. That strength of form was reinforced next time out with a Grade 2 victory at Fairyhouse on soft when he thumped Identity Thief by no less than 5 and a half lengths.

On his final start he finished fourth in the Grade 1 Novice Hurdle at Punchestown won by Nichols Canyon. In a display of his versatility in terms of ground, disincline and class however, he put in a smashing performance on his only Irish flat run to-date, to finish a staying on two length third in a premier handicap at the Curragh on Derby weekend, over one mile and four furlongs on good ground. He has only had the one National Hunt start this season when starting 5/1 and finishing a length second to the race fit Old Guard in the Grade 2 International Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Dropping in class to a Grade 3 today, he is rated 12LBS above his closest rivals and despite the two mile and three furlong trip, he should prove stronger than the opposition. Furthermore, this is one race that normally makes a mockery of the aforementioned ‘punters graveyard’ title, as this have been annexed by the favourite for four consecutive years.

A mere 30 minutes later, Mullins also supplies another likely favourite in the shape of Black Hercules at Warwick. He was impressive when putting 12 lengths between himself and stablemate Sambremont in a beginners chase over two and a half miles at Navan, with the third an irrelevant 65 lengths in arrears.

The runner-up franked the form to an extent by going on to win by no less than 16 lengths on New Year’s Day on his next start. Today’s race will provide Black Hercules with some much needed match practice against some decent looking rivals, as he aims to make the Cheltenham Festival for the third successive year.

He was beaten by less than four lengths when fourth in the Champion Bumper and started favourite for the Albert Bartlett last season when he could only manage seventh. However he has always looked like he could come into his own over fences and today marks a decent opportunity for him to fulfil those hopes before attempting to set the record straight at Prestbury Park.

That novice chase is amongst four that are televised on Channel 4 from Warwick and RaceBets customers can benefit from a money back concession if second in any of those four races (see www.RaceBets.com for terms and conditions). At Leopardstown tomorrow, punters can avail of another ‘money back if second’ concession in the 3.00pm, whilst RaceBets are paying on the fifth horse home in the feature handicap hurdle at 2.25pm, in which JP McManus supplies nine of the 25 runners.

With Cheltenham just nine weeks away now, RaceBets have priced up each and every single race at the festival and most importantly, in the four championship races, they are now non-runner, no bet which begs the question, why bet anywhere else?