Punchestown Festival Day 2 Tips: 14/1 a great price for Redemption

The Punchestown Festival continues on Wednesday with another eight-race card - running from 14:30-18:35 - featuring a trio of Grade 1s.

Among my Punchestown Festival Day 2 tips is a 12/1 shot in the bumper who looks an outstanding each-way proposition.

15:40 - Mistergif @ 15/8

Plain and simply, I can't see MISTERGIF beat in this 2m3½f hurdle if he runs to form.

Willie Mullins' five-year-old was recruited from France late last year and has since run three times on these shores. After bolting up in a maiden at Limerick by 18 lengths, he was fifth in the Supreme at the Cheltenham Festival in March before going one place better in the Top Novices' Hurdle at Aintree a month later.

While he was well-beaten in both Grade 1 contests, his form is a clear standout in this 16-strong field as far as I'm concerned.

This is a modest race. Cleatus Poolaw and No Flies On Him are the selection's biggest rivals according to the betting but they're highly unreliable. Nicky Henderson's raider East India Express has lots to find, while the rest of the runners are uninspiring.

Mistergif ought to be well up to landing this for a team almost certain to dominate this week.

16:15 - Better Days Ahead @ 7/2

I think this - being the three-mile novice hurdle - is the trickiest Grade 1 of the afternoon.

To be honest, I wouldn't put you off any of the top five in the betting, but at current prices it's Gordon Elliott's BETTER DAYS AHEAD for me.

Off a mark of 140, he won what I suspect will prove a strong renewal of the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. I think giving 7lbs to Waterford Whispers will age well, while Quai De Bourbon has already given the form a strong look having bolted up at Ayr the other week.

I don't think this is a vintage crop of novice hurdlers so I'm hopeful he'll cope with the step up in class, while the longer trip should be well within his capabilities. It's yet to be seen how he'll cope on a sounder surface, but there's question marks about all of his rivals so a chance is taken on the lightly-raced six-year-old.

16:50 - Redemption Day e/w @ 14/1

My best bet at Punchestown on Wednesday is REDEMPTION DAY in the Grade 1 bumper.

I can't believe you can get 14/1 at time of publication. As far as I'm concerned, he should be about half that price.

Willie Mullins' seven-year-old was a leading light in this sphere in 2022, finishing runner-up to that year's Champion Bumper hero Facile Vega in this very race, but he got injured and missed following season - and it wasn't until just before the new year that he made his return to the track.

For whatever reason he's been kept in bumpers, but he's clearly retained lots of ability. Second to subsequent Champion Bumper third Jalon D'oudairies on his first run back after 611 days on the sidelines, he then finished a solid third at the Dublin Racing Festival. I think there were excuses - ground, fitness, luck in running - both times, so that already high level of form can be marked up.

His win at Fairyhouse the last day was a fair performance, again on ground he won't have particularly liked, and Mullins remarked after the fact that the son of Blue Bresil was "coming right".

With conditions in his favour, I think he's set for a huge run under Jody Townend, who was aboard when he almost downed stablemate Facile Vega a couple of years back.