Horse racing Tip – 6.40 Punchestown 26-04-16

The form of the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival could hardly have worked out much better even though the winner, Minella Rocco, has not run since. But the runner-up in the four-mile stamina test, Noble Ruler, has franked the form by taking Aintree’s Grade 1 Betfred Mildmay Novices’ Chase beating three Festival winners in the process, Blaklion, Un Temps Pour Tout and Ballyalton.

The fifth horse home at Prestbury Park, Vicente, helped Paul Nicholls clinch another trainers’ championship by landing the valuable Coral Scottish Grand National at Ayr recently, leaving the horse who finished one place higher in fourth, Southfield Theatre, to give the Festival form another boost by taking Punchestown’s Growise Champion Novice Chase on Tuesday evening.

The six-year-old has taken well to fencing, winning novice chases at Wetherby and Doncaster before finding only Tea For Two too good in Kempton’s Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase on Boxing Day. Looking the probable winner with two to jump at Cheltenham the Neil Mulholland-trained gelding should appreciate the shorter trip in Ireland and is taken to see off the home challenge which is headed by JLT faller Outlander and Zabana who unseated rider Davy Russell at the start of that race.

Grand National winner Rule The World is a fascinating contender but may take a while to recover from his exertions at Aintree so a bigger danger could develop in the shape of another British challenger in Henryville who looked good when winning at Exeter last time.

Punchestown Tip

1 Point each-way Southfield Royale 15-2 Betvictor