Another competitive day of action both here in the UK and over in Ireland. Starting with Ascot, my best bet of the day there is ISLE OF LISMORE who ran a great race at Newmarket recently in a much stronger race than this. He was finishing strongly and will appreciate the straight track here at Ascot on the back of that. Robert Cowell has a fine record with sprinters, especially here at Ascot and at 8/1 he looks a smashing each way play.
Another handicapper taking a step down in grade in my eyes is BLUELIGHT BAY who threatened to be progressive last year but couldn't quite back up one run to the next. He ran a fine race at Kempton on his reappearance and is another who will appreciate the switch to this fairer track.
Over at Punchestown, BETTER DAYS AHEAD, is my NAP of the day as he bids to follow up his Martin Pipe victory. Looking back through the recent history books, horses who come out of the Martin Pipe fair a lot better than the Graded winners at Cheltenham & Aintree (Albert Bartlett & Sefton Novices Hurdle) which is why I think he might just be too good for Stellar Story and Dancing City. I thought he was gutsy yet classy at Cheltenham and after a decent break since he should be ready for this.
It's hard to ignore the record of IDAS BOY when fresh and it looks like Noel Meade has kept him fresh for his assignment this evening. He has his fair share of weight to carry and on the whole he has a patchy record but is definitely a different beast when fresh so he is fancied to go well in what looks like a relatively weak handicap chase for the grade.
Ascot 4.00 – Isle Of Lismore
Ascot 5.10 – Bluelight Bay
Punchestown 4.15 – Better Days Ahead
Punchestown 6.00 – Idas Boy
