Hexham – Stoney Mountain returns after Cheltenham Festival
By Andrew Atkinson
Hexham, where the going is good, features the Class 3 Denis Atkinson 73rd Birthday Novices Chase over 2m 4f on Saturday’s seven racecard evening meeting.
Trainer Jamie Snowden saddles Stoney Mountain (7.20) under Gavin Sheehan, who is strongly fancied in the betting market at 4-7 on.
Nine-year-old Stoney Mountain finished 17th in the Pertempts Network Grade 3 Final Handicap hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March as a rank 150-1 outsider, in a race won by Third Wind.
Tom Midgley rides Johnson’s Blue (5.15) tipped by fromthehorsesmouth.info to land the Langley Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle over 2m 7f.
David Pipe runner six-year-old Paricolor (6.20) is noted in the Class 4, 3m Handicap Chase, with Connor O’Farrell up.
HEXHAM fromthehorsesmouth.info selections: 5.15 Johnson’s Blue. 5.50 Katpoli. 6.20 Paricolor. 6.50 Fringill Dike. 7.20 Stoney Mountain. 7.50 Ellaat. 8.20 Present Storm.
Punchestown – Epatante eyes €75,000 Grade 1 Coolmore purse
Andrew Atkinson
Punchestown’s eight racecard meeting on Saturday features the Grade 1 Coolmore Kew Gardens Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle over 2 miles 4 furlongs.
Nicky Henderson trained Epatante (3.50) ridden by Aidan Coleman tipped by fromthehorsesmouth.info is out to bag the €75,000 winning purse, going to post as favourite.
Eight-year-old Epatante returns to action after winning at Aintree earlier this month, when landing the Grade 1 Betway Aintree Hurdle by 14 lengths.
Vauban (5.00) trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Paul Townend is tipped to land the Grade 1 Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle over 2 miles.
Vauban is out to win a fifth career race, returning to the fold after victory in the Grade 1 JCB Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
Somptueux (2.35) trained by Henry de Bromhead and ridden by Rachael Blackmore and stablemate Plan Of Attack (3.10) are both tipped each-way.
PUNCHESTOWN fromthehorsesmouth.info selections: 2.35 Somptueux (ew). 3.10 Plan Of Attack (ew). 3.50 Epatante. 4.25 Fully Charged (ew). 5.00 Vauban. 5.30 Camprond (ew). 6.05 Follow The Brave (ew).
Caption: Nicky Henderson saddles Epatante (3.50) Punchestown.
