2023 Punchestown festival tips: Wednesday's best bets from Racing Post experts

Day two of the Punchestown festival is upon us – but who do our experts fancy most?

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Tag Man

4.45 Punchestown

By Conor Fennelly

Tag Man has some strong form over hurdles and looks worth siding with in the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Hurdle for Henry de Bromhead.

He was a promising fourth to Ashroe Diamond on his hurdling debut, a race that produced a strong timefigure, before seeing out 2m4f well at Leopardstown behind Good Land, with Search For Glory and Embassy Gardens back in third and fourth.

The seven-year-old found two miles at Fairyhouse too sharp a test last time out, but this longer trip could bring about the required improvement and he is in receipt of weight from all of his rivals here.

Tag Man16:45 Punchestown

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Jky: Rachael Blackmore Tnr: Henry De Bromhead

Galopin Des Champs

5.55 Punchestown

By Kevin Morley

A convincing winner of the Boodles Gold Cup, Galopin Des Champs looks poised to follow up his Cheltenham success.

The hope for Gold Cup second Bravemansgame is that this shorter distance can help him close the gap on the favourite. That looks tough, but either way he looks best placed to fill the runner-up spot again. Envoi Allen has Grade 1 form, but the pick of it is over shorter trips and he'll likely be found wanting in the closing stages.

Galopin Des Champs17:55 Punchestown

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Jky: Paul Townend Tnr: W P Mullins

Ha D'Or

7.05 Punchestown

By Graeme Rodway

However, the Mullins-trained favourite who appeals the most is Ha D'Or, who might hold a class edge now he is stepped back up in distance in the HSS Hire Handicap Chase (7.05).

The lightly raced six-year-old was beaten just four lengths by El Fabiolo over hurdles when second at this meeting last year and most of his best form has come either here or at Fairyhouse. Both are right-handed tracks, so this fixture has probably been his main aim.

Ha D'Or produced his most impressive display over this 2m5f trip at Fairyhouse before Christmas when easily beating The Goffer by 11 lengths. That rival went on to land a hot handicap chase at the Dublin Racing Festival and is now rated 146. Ha D'Or runs off 140.

He is evidently well handicapped on that piece of form and there are excuses for his three subsequent defeats. He probably didn't like heavy ground when behind Impervious here in January and his last two runs have both come at 2m, a trip that is definitely on the short side.

He was outclassed in the Arkle at Cheltenham last time but this is a much easier assignment on his handicap chase debut and there could be more to come given this stiffer stamina test.