Horse Racing Tips: Owen’s best bets for Day 2 of the Punchestown Festival

A winner (Il Etait Temps at 7/4) a non-runner (Sober) and one of the worst bets in history (Sticwiththeprocess). A mixed bag on Day 1 of the 2026 Punchestown Festival.

I've got another round of horse racing tips for the action in Ireland on Wednesday - including a 28/1 shot in one of the most open Grade 1s you'll ever see.

14:30 - Katie Daniels each way @ 17/2

It was a convincing return to form for KATIE DANIELS at Fairyhouse earlier this month, and Cian Collins' seven-year-old mare can back it up at Punchestown on Wednesday.

The daughter of Walk In The Park, who according to her trainer had "lost her way" over the winter, was revitalised in first-time cheekpieces, bolting up by seven lengths. They're retained on Wednesday.

Despite her SP of 33/1, it wasn't a shock at all if you look through the formbook. Her beating of Changeyourstars (rated 127 and a Grade 3 runner-up), Zanoosh (141 and a Grade 1 winner) and Dippedinmoonlight (121) in a maiden hurdle has aged exceptionally well.

On that evidence, she could still be ahead of the handicapper off her new mark of 114 (+7), eased slightly by jockey Carl Millar's two-pound claim, and must have every chance of following up.

15:40 - Soir De Garde @ 3/1

Willie Mullins has won five of the last eight renewals of this 2m3½f hurdle, including the one 12 months ago with subsequent Grade 1 chaser Kaid d'Authie.

He runs two on Wednesday - Bunting and SOIR DE GARDE. Paul Townend rides the latter, despite the eight-year-old's inferior rating.

A half-brother to 12-time Grade 1 winner State Man, in the same black and yellow silks of the Donnellys, it's fair to say his career hasn't gone the way connections would've hoped, but he clearly isn't void of talent.

He bolted up on hurdling debut at Tramore around this time last year, but spent the next 323 days on the sidelines before bumping into El Fabiolo in a similar race to Wednesday's at Leopardstown. He was over three lengths clear of the 150-rated Maxxum, though I'm not convinced he ran to form and therefore wouldn't take that so literally. Worth keeping in mind, though.

Last time out, at Cork, Soir De Garde fell at the last when third and on the backfoot. At best, he'd have held on to that place, but given the quality of the front two - Ndawwi and Absurde are rated 152 and 153 respectively - and how keenly he raced from the front, I thought it was a highly-encouraging effort. Oh, he was conceding weight to both of those rivals as well.

The hood, which was removed the last day, is back on which will hopefully allow him to settle better, and I get the feeling he's going to run a huge race.

16:15 - Generous Risk each way @ 28/1

Just over half-an-hour later is a wide-open Grade 1 novice hurdle over three miles. It's an Extra Place Race, with four available instead of three, and I'll be taking advantage of that with an each-way bet on GENEROUS RISK.

I think the six-year-old son of No Risk At All is well overpriced for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown.

A £250k buy at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival sales, he started the season in bumpers, before an early switch of tack in March, winning a maiden hurdle at Leopardstown by nine-and-a-half lengths.

He then went to Fairyhouse for a Grade 2 and was runner-up to Willie Mullins' very exciting He's On Fire, with the reopposing I Started A Joke and Love Me Tender in behind.

On just his third run over timber and first at the trip, there ought to be a lot more to come and it's worth chancing he finishes in the places - or better.

18:05 - Gaelic Warrior @ 6/5

Last but not least, it's the Punchestown Gold Cup. What the field lacks in numbers, it certainly makes up in quality. What a renewal this is.

Cheltenham Gold Cup hero takes on the 2025 winner Inothewayurthinkin - add Irish Gold Cup victor Fact To File to the mix, and Grand National runner-up Grangeclare West who unseated at the first on his return to Aintree earlier this month.

I suspect Fact To File, who was very impressive at the Dublin Racing Festival, will be popular as he comes here fresh, having skipped the Cheltenham Festival on account of the ground.

But GAELIC WARRIOR was so impressive at HQ and I can't desert him here. I think he's getting better and better.

It's crazy to say about a Gold Cup, but he mightn't have had the hardest of races 47 days ago, such was the manner of his victory, and he'll take the world of beating if able to replicate the form.

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