Willie Mullins relies on unexposed Capodanno to add to outstanding record

6.00 Punchestown
Conway Piling Handicap Hurdle (Grade B) | 3m | 4yo+ | RTE2/RTV

This is not an easy race to call. JP McManus clearly has a good hand with six of the 25 declared runners and, of those, Capodanno should be the pick.

A lightly raced sort, he showed up well over the trip to finish fourth on his handicap debut at Fairyhouse in a similarly competitive race, and it's probably safe to assume there should be more improvement to come.

If that is the case, he could prove to be a well-handicapped horse off just 1lb higher, and it is noteworthy that Willie Mullins, who has won two of the last five runnings of this race, relies solely on Capodanno.

Fellow McManus runner A Great View won this race in 2018 and, although he has been out of form of late, he is well handicapped if back to his best.

Martin Pipe third Floueur heads the weights and, stepping up to three miles, has the potential to unlock further improvement for Joseph O'Brien, judging by that fine Cheltenham effort.

Unowhatimeanharry out to roll back the years

Hats at the ready? JP McManus and his technicolour collection of silk hats will take on this ultra-competitive staying handicap hurdle and few would bet against a green and gold hue to the finish.

But which coloured hat will prevail? Well, there wouldn’t be a more popular winner than the evergreen Unowhatimeanharry. A four-time Grade 1-winner, including over this course and distance in 2017 and 2019, the 13-year-old is not operating at the same level of late but Frank Berry, racing manager to McManus, is hopeful the return to Punchestown could spark him up.

Unowhatimeanharry (left): 'in great heart at the minute'Credit: Patrick McCann

He said: “Unowhatimeanharry acts well at the track and Harry [Fry] is very happy with him. He's in great heart at the minute, so let's see how he runs.”

The Willie Mullins-trained Capodanno would have more obvious claims and Berry provided an update on his chances along with the rest of McManus’s squad: “Capodanno ran well at Fairyhouse. His jumping let him down a bit and hopefully he can learn from it.

"Pure Genius has a chance. He won well at Down Royal and the race worked out quite well, so this is the ideal race for him.

“Spades Are Trumps needs to bounce back to form, while A Great View has lost his way over hurdles and fences. Morosini is another who needs to come back to form and hopefully the tongue-tie will do something for him.”

What they say

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Floueur and Anything Will Do
Floueur ran well in the Martin Pipe and it looked like a step up in trip would suit him there, so we're hoping for a good run. Anything Will Do ran well for a long way in the Pertemps and this is a slight drop in class for him.

Floueur: 'a step up in trip will suit him'Credit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

Gavin Cromwell, trainer of Jukebox Jive and Spades Are Trumps
Jukebox Jive is not very well handicapped while Spades Are Trumps has been chasing but jumped terribly, so we're coming back over hurdles. The handicapper has given him a little bit of a chance, so hopefully he has some bit of an each-way chance.

David O'Brien, trainer of Minx Tiara
She's gone up 20lb for her last two hurdle wins but she's in good form and has the experience, so we're expecting a big run. With a bit of luck, she will be in the shake-up. I think she's improving, so hopefully she will prove the handicapper right and me wrong.

Colm Murphy, trainer Botani
She seems well after Cork. I'm delighted with her, so hopefully the step up in trip will suit. She's settling much better these days, so I don't think three miles will be a problem. I've no doubt she'll stay.

Noel Meade, trainer of Red Gerry and Young Ted
Red Gerry could run well if he has some luck in running, while Young Ted was very disappointing on very soft ground, but I think this ground will suit him a lot better. He was actually second in this race a couple of years ago and the trip is not a problem for him. If he jumps well and things go right he has a chance.

Read more on day three at Punchestown:

4.50 Punchestown: Enda Bolger looks to Stand Up And Fight to continue love affair with La Touche

5.25 Punchestown: Flooring Porter out to emulate Anzum by completing Cheltenham-Punchestown double

6.35 Punchestown: Energumene ready for take-off as Mullins eyes sixth Ryanair on the trot

Download the free Racing Post app for cards, form, tips, in-app betting and to watch live races. Download for free at racingpost.com/mobile or search Racing Post app