Tape goes up on Punchestown and first-season sires with runners

Tuesday marks the start of the five-day Punchestown festival and Zoe Vicarage pinpoints five bloodstock angles to keep tabs on across the meeting.

The past two days have seen an exceptional run for Scat Daddy's progeny at Navan with two Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchases - who made a total of $1.5 million last year - living up to their lofty billing when sent out by Ballydoyle maestro Aidan O'Brien.

Looking ahead to today, Samcro's half-brother Think Positive and Tully East's half-brother Column Of Fire both take their chance in the Goffs Land Rover Bumper on the opening day at Punchestown (6.05).

Racing

Exeter (first race 1.40)

Yarmouth (1.50)

Ludlow (2.00)

Punchestown (3.40)

Brighton (4.15)

Huntingdon (4.35)

Sales

Ocala Breeders' Sales Company 2018 Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds

ANZ Bloodstock News

"The 15-year-old covered a book of 216 mares for a fee of A$176,000 last year"

Snitzel upped to A$220,000 as Arrowfield releases 2018 prices

First-season sires with runners

Coach House Islay Mist Yarmouth 1.50

Gregorian Solesmes Yarmouth 1.50

Moohaajim Hard Taskmaster Brighton 4.50

Plus 10 races

Yarmouth 1.50

What to watch

Final thought

Dawn Approach supplied his second stakes winner when the grey filly Mary Tudor landed the Listed Salsabil Stakes at Navan on Sunday.

The unbeaten champion two-year-old has the exciting Roger Varian-trained Tawheed to represent him the mile novice stakes at Yarmouth on Tuesday (2.25).

The three-year-colt is a half-brother to Make Believe's sire Makfi and will be ridden by Jim Crowley.