BRILLIANT Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Galopin Des Champs could be set to clash with back-to-form Ryanair Chase winner Envoi Allen in the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup later this month, as Grade 1 entries were revealed this week for the Kildare track’s five-day festival.
Willie Mullins indicated Punchestown’s €300,000 prize could be next for Galopin Des Champs in the aftermath of the Cheltenham Festival, and Henry de Bromhead confirmed this week that Envoi Allen is firmly on course to step back up to three miles on April 26th.
A total of 13 were handed entries for the day-two feature, including Bravemansgame, who Paul Nicholls has suggested will head to Aintree next week for the Alder Hey Aintree Bowl. Hewick is also in the mix after his fall two fences from home in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, as well as Minella Indo, who pulled up in the same event.
De Bromhead said: “This is a definite aim for Envoi Allen. He was a good winner of the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal over three miles and his only blip this season was in the King George VI Chase at Kempton. At that time, we had three horses who went over to England and ran appallingly, though Envoi and A Plus Tard had independent reasons for that. Still, they were all beaten after three fences.
“In fairness to Envoi, he has done very little wrong and was brilliant in the Ryanair. He seems really good since then.”
On Minella Indo, de Bromhead added: ”He was very disappointing in the Gold Cup. The start was a mess for him and nothing seemed to go right after that. He seems well again now and we’ve got time to decide what to do.”
Golden chance
Constitution Hill’s absence from the Paddy Power Champion Hurdle entries paves the way for State Man to make it back-to-back Punchestown Festival wins, having finished closest to Nicky Henderson’s exceptional talent at Cheltenham. He is the standout on ratings among the nine-strong field, which includes Epatante, Vauban and Zanahiyr.
Mullins also appears to hold the key to the William Hill Champion Chase on day one, with dual Queen Mother Champion Chase scorer Energumene bidding for a second straight win in the race.
Cheltenham 1-2-3 Sire Du Berlais, Dashel Drasher and Teahupoo have all been given entries for the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle on day three. Klassical Dream, who has won the last two runnings of this contest, Home By The Lee, Marie’s Rock, Champ and Monkfish are other notable entries.
Triumph form tested
Mullins’ 1-2-3-4 from the Triumph Hurdle are entered for the Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle on day five, while impressive Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle winner Impaire Et Passe and Supreme Novices’ Hurdle second Facile Vega have the option of contesting the Punchestown Champion Novice Hurdle over an extended two miles or the Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle over an extended two miles and three furlongs. Supreme winner Marine Nationale’s only entry is for the shorter option.
Strong entries were revealed for the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice (day one) and Barberstown Castle Novice (day three), and Cheltenham star A Dream To Share is the standout candidate in the Race & Stay At Punchestown Champion Bumper (day two).
The Coolmore Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle may see a rematch of the full Cheltenham Mares’ Hurdle field, except recently-retired legend Honeysuckle.