BAIE DES ILES faces its first marathon chase trip of the season over perfect conditions at Punchestown today, as the seven-year-old mare goes in search of her second victory in this race having hosed up off a 4lb lower mark last year.
This Grand National Trial doesn’t look the deepest and I can see Katie Walsh’s mare put in a fine weight-carrying performance.
The current favourite, Folsom Blue has decent credentials, but at the age of eleven has arguably seen better days and Mall Dini will likely be using this as a warm up for the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham where he should get better ground.
Children’s List looks an interesting runner for the Ricci colours, but he is plenty high enough in the weights for what he has achieved thus far and has to defy a lengthy lay-off.
And a part from that there doesn’t look like there is much depth in this field.
Baie Des Iles finished fifth in the Welsh National last season and sixth in the Irish National as a novice the year before so has the class, the staying credentials, and should be fully fit given that it has been lightly campaigned this season with the Nationals during the spring in mind.
1pt each-way Baie Des Iles @10/1, 16:20 Punchestown (1/4 odds, first four places with Boylesports)