Horse Racing Tips: Set your heart on Wood at Punchestown

There are four jumps meetings for punters to get stuck into in the UK and Ireland on Sunday and among them is a fantastic Grade 1 card at Punchestown.

First off is Cork before they go at Punchestown, Windsor and Exeter. Among our Sunday horse racing tips is one for trainer Henry de Bromhead that returned with a win and comes into his race in superb form.

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13:26 Exeter - Histrionic @ 4/1

The 3m novice limited handicap chase (1.26) at Exeter looks like a good opportunity for HISTRIONIC, who is still lightly raced and has scope for loads more improvement over fences.

The lightly raced son of Walk In The Park went off 5-4 favourite on his chasing debut at Ludlow last month and was going along nicely when falling at the sixth fence. He is worth another chance to show that he is a chaser with lots more potential on this second start over fences.

Histrionic is a 3m maiden hurdle winner who won a point-to-point, so should definitely be capable of winning staying chases like this, and cheekpieces now go on for the first time.

Trainer Paul Nicholls has a good record at Exeter, particularly at this time of the year, and Harry Cobden is back in the saddle to replace Lorcan Williams. That is another big positive.

14:36 Exeter - Clotilda @ 9/1

Nicholls has another big chance in the 2m3f handicap chase (2.36) with CLOTILDA, who appears to be steadily returning to form this season but her mark is easing at the same time.

Clotilda was beaten 59 lengths on her seasonal reappearance at Chepstow in October and must have been badly in need of the run. She took a big step forward when sixth at Newton Abbot next time and, while she was still beaten 15 lengths by the winner, it was a better run.

In fact, it was the second-best effort of Clotilda's career judging on Racing Post Ratings, and she looks capable of making further progress now she is back chasing from a 2lb lower mark.

She finished in the first three in all three of her chases in France and a reproduction of the form that she showed when second at Cheltenham last April might be good enough for Clotilda.

There is every chance she can reach that level now she returns to fences.

15:00 Punchestown - Heart Wood @ 11/1

The John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase (3.00) is the race of the season so far because top-class performers Fact To File, Gaelic Warrior, and Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin line up against each other. However, they are all coming into their race on seasonal reappearance.

It therefore seems fair to assume that they won't be fully wound up and will have bigger targets down the line. That might present an opportunity for an upset and step forward HEART WOOD, who will be trained to peak for this race and could spring a surprise.

We know that Heart Wood will be right for this race because he has already had a tune up. He was successful on his seasonal reappearance at Down Royal only last month and that should have put him spot on to show his best form now that he is back only 39 days later.

He will obviously need to produce a career best, but did have some smart form against some of the best chasers around last season, and trainer Henry de Bromhead will know that this is Heart Wood's best chance of taking a Grade 1 all campaign. It’s worth taking a chance on him.

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