Zabana win at Punchestown would have trainer Andy Lynch smiling

BETWAY ambassador Davy Russell looks forward to the opening day of the Punchestown Festival where he will be hoping for a winning run from the Dunsany-trained horse Zabana for Andy Lynch

Champion Novice Hurdle

My first ride on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival is Ball D’Arc for Gordon Elliott in the Champion Novice Hurdle (4.20pm).

Bryan [Cooper] has chosen Petit Mouchoir on the back of his close second to Buveur D’Air at Aintree where my fellow was a fair way back in seventh.

Ball D’Arc has done little wrong this season to be fair to him. He will just need to step up a fair bit to get involved here.

We will all have to go some to beat Yorkhill who has won all four of his starts this season, the last three at Grade One level.

I suppose connections are hoping that the drop back in trip and subsequent faster pace will help him settle better.

In a strange way it’s a bit of a fact finding mission for them to see what they do with him next year.

He may turn out to be a Champion Hurdle horse.

Cannot get down to 10st 5lb…

Unfortunately, the top ones stayed in the handicap hurdle (4.55pm) meaning that the weights didn’t go up for Ordinary World who will now be ridden by Robbie Colgan.

He is set to carry 10st 5lbs and I just cannot get down to that weight – even without breakfast!

My bare minimum is around 10st 7lbs so I’ll have to watch from the sidelines.

It’s a wide open race, but Ordinary World should give Robbie a great spin.

Champion Chase

Vautour is the red-hot favourite for the Champion Chase (5.30pm) and it will be great to see him back at two miles.

That said, I have to admit I was a little surprised to see that he is as short as he is in the betting, particularly as he comes here on the back of a fall.

Don’t get me wrong, he is a special horse, it’s just that he meets good rock-solid specialist two-milers here and won’t find it easy.

I’d be keen on the chances of Henry De Bromhead’s Special Tiara.

The decent ground is in his favour and he comes here on the back of another good run at Cheltenham.

No Mullins in the bumper…

There isn’t much form to go on when it comes to the bumper (6.05pm).

Interestingly, Willie [Mullins] doesn’t have a runner, but the other big yards all have a representative.

Don’t rule out a turn-up though so if you fancy one at a big price stick to it.

Champion Novice Chase - Zabana

My final ride of the day comes aboard Zabana in the Champion Novice Chase (6.40pm).

I won’t dwell too much on what happened at Cheltenham, but the plus is that he comes here a fresh horse.

He schooled really well last week when I sat on him and the drying ground is in his favour too.

There are some good horses in against him, including the Grand National winner, so he will have to improve.

However, the step up in trip will help too so I’m hopeful of a bold showing.