PUNCHESTOWN at the end of April gives the opportunity for some old scores to be settled and some new rivalries to be established, though there can be a tendency for a few of the main protagonists to be past their best just to complicate matters.

Time analysis should assist in these instances, but Punchestown has proved to be one of the trickier courses at which to establish the merit of overall times over the years. As a result, the following observations about the first two days of action (the remainder will follow in next week’s Time Will Tell column) are a bit more circumspect than usual.

BRITISH RAIDER

The Boylesports Champion Chase on Tuesday went the way of the British raider God’s Own, who repeated his 160 winning timefigure from Aintree and claimed the scalp of Vautour in the process. The latter (158 timefigure) was well below his peak 174 figure, gained when all but winning the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

That race had been over three miles, of course, while this one was advertised as being at just two miles. That seemed to suit the winner more than the runner-up, who was coming back for more at the line.

Sectional comparisons with the other three chases on the first two days make for interesting reading. The Champion Chase was easily quicker than any of the other trio (all of which were run at further) for most of its opening stages, but was slowest of all from four out to two out before picking up again towards the end.

This bears out the visual impression that a strong pace set by Special Tiara slackened markedly as he came back to the field. It picked up again going to two out, which is where Vautour got into trouble, God’s Own quickened past and was not for catching thereafter.

Vautour should be back, but if you could script a race for him it would be between two and a half miles and three miles, and probably on ground that is not especially testing.

The admirable God’s Own may have his measure at shorter distances but he himself seemed to show his limitations when fourth to Sprinter Sacre in this year’s Champion Chase at Cheltenham.

SLOWEST CHASE

Slowest chase of all throughout the early stages was the Growise Champion Novice Chase later on Tuesday, won by Zabana, who got a pretty easy time of things up front. Zabana’s timefigure of 147 has been bettered by several staying novice chasers this term, if not by much. Sectionals suggest runner-up Outlander might yet beat him in a truer contest.

Fastest of the quartet of chases for much of the closing stages was the Punchestown Gold Cup on the Wednesday, a triumph for the perseverance of Barry Geraghty and Carlingford Lough, who looked in trouble before sweeping past going to the last.

Carlingford Lough did not get enough credit in some quarters for his Irish Gold Cup win at Leopardstown, and this was a further step forward in time terms (167 timefigure).

That said, it is at least possible that neither runner-up Djakadam nor third-placed Don Poli was at his absolute best, while fourth-placed Cue Card clearly was not. Road To Riches (best previous timefigure of 165) would surely have gone close but for falling heavily two out.

Anyone doubting the value of the top staying chase form will need to explain away the win under top-weight of Irish Cavalier later on the card, that gelding having shown up well but been put in his place at both Cheltenham and Aintree.

TIMES TO NOTE

Other notable timefigures on the first two days came from Don’t Touch It (151 in winning the Champion Novice Hurdle), Bellshill (144 in taking the Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle) and Blow By Blow (123 in landing the attheraces.com Champion Bumper).

The last-named joins Cheltenham winner Ballyandy as the best recent bumper horse on time.