Tramore and Punchestown provide the Irish racing action on Wednesday and our focus falls on the latter of those two meetings in Eadestown.
A total of eight races are scheduled for Punchestown and it all starts with the 13:15, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden over 7f.
13:45 – Fighter @ 11/4
Our first selection comes in the second race on the card, the Punchestown Maiden over 1m where 10 runners are set to battle it out for the spoils.
While Ocean Conquest is likely to garner much attention, preference here is for the Aidan O’Brien-trained Fighter.
The two-year-old will be turning out for the first time and, on paper, there is plenty to like about his chances of picking up the win.
Fighter is closely related to a couple of winners, the first being Trading Leather and the other being Wexford Town, while he is also half-brother to 7f winner Gleadhradh.
That looks positive heading into this race, and the fact he represents a top yard in the shape of O’Brien only further enhances his claims.
16:05 – Celebrating Ethel @ 13/2
Race number six on the card is the 16:05 – the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap over 1m 1f – and there are several entrants in this 13-runner field that claims can be made for.
Angelic Appeal picked up a victory at the Curragh last time out and should be in the mix again, while Star Galaxy represents the top yard of Joseph O’Brien and is respected.
However, the selection here is Celebrating Ethel, who broke her maiden at the sixth time of asking at Leopardstown last time out over this distance.
The four-year-old kept on well inside the final furlong to hold off Morning Approach by three-quarters-of-a-length under jockey Luke McAteer.
McAteer will be aboard for the third consecutive race, having also partnered Celebrating Ethel to a fourth-place finish at Ballinrobe, and this duo can strike for a second time.
17:15 – Wrist Art @ 11/4
Our final selection comes in the last action of the day at Punchestown, the Return Of Jumps October 10th & 11th Handicap over 1m1f at 17:15.
Pollanassa is on an appealing mark in the finale and is one to watch out for, while Miss Langmore has the potential to be a threat.
Away from those two, the name of Wrist Art stands out for in-form trainer Timothy Doyle.
Doyle has already had four victories in September, two at Tipperary and one each at Clonmel and Galway, and he will be hopeful of seeing a positive run from his charge on Wednesday.
Wrist Art was a positive third in an 18-runner Handicap at Naas last time out, managing to pick his way through the field to get on the podium.
A clearer run this time could bring about a first victory at the 17th attempt.
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