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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
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Robbie Power

Punchestown Saturday tips: Robbie Power's selections for the final day of the meeting

The Coolmore N.H. Sires Mogul Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle is a cracking renewal at Punchestown this afternoon with the likes of Love Envoi and Epatante over from England.

Echoes In Rain is the choice of Paul Townend, two and a half miles will definitely suit her, but Love Envoi is the one they all have to go to beat.

Unfortunately Johnny Burke is out injured with a broken arm so Danny Mullins takes over and going right-handed around here will suit Love Envoi.

She only found Honeysuckle too good at Cheltenham and I think she can get back to winning ways here. Harry Fry has a good record at Punchestown too and I think he could get another winner at the festival with her.

Enda Bolger runs three in the Donohue Solutions Cross Country Chase, the opening race of the day, and Birchdale is very interesting. He's a good horse and it will be fascinating to see how he gets on turning his attention to banks now. If he takes to it, he could be the one they all have to beat.

The Colm Quinn BMW Handicap Chase is very competitive as you'd expect. Velvet Elvis was well fancied for the Grand National at Aintree when disappointing. He tops the weights, but I think further down the list Mercury Lane would have a good chance for Paul Nolan off a low weight.

The other one I like is Darrens Hope for Robert Murphy. She won a nice chase at Punchestown earlier in the season. This trip will definitely suit her and I'd have slight preference for her over Mercury Lane.

The Palmerstown House Pat Taaffe Handicap Chase comes next and Escaria Ten, who was due to run in the Grand National, is very interesting.

Another one who I like down towards the bottom of the weights is Percy Warner for Henry de Bromhead, who Denis O'Regan rides.

He's been running consistently well in handicaps and I think he has an each-way chance, but my top pick would be Escaria Ten.

Lossiemouth will be hard to beat in the Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle. She was so impressive at Cheltenham and Willie Mullins has such a strong hand with juvenile hurdlers.

The big danger to her could be Zarak The Brave, who Lossiemouth beat in Fairyhouse earlier in the season. And outside of Willie's, Enjoy The Dream could be the best of the rest.

Tax For Max is quite interesting for Willie in the Fitzwilliam Sports Handicap Hurdle, with Daryl Jacob booked to ride.

Ballyadam is stepping up in trip and is interesting as well, with Mike O'Connor taking off a valuable five pounds.

Horses that carry more than 11 stone have a good record in this race and I think the step up in trip will suit him. It's a race you'd want to be looking at each-way and he could give his running and hopefully finish in the first three.

Sorrentino is the choice of Patrick Mullins in the bumper and would have to be respected and I think this race could be between him and Full Metal Jacket, but I'd have slight preference for the latter of them under Derek O'Connor.

Bet of the day - Love Envoi 3.50pm

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