RACING/Punchestown previews: Since the close of the Irish Flat Season Irish jumping fans have been spoiled for choice with a stream of past and future stars doing their stuff both North and South. And this is a pattern that will continue this weekend when Punchestown has a double fixture that includes three Graded Races.
These are all down for decision tomorrow and it might have been a good idea to have staged the Irish Field Novice Chase this afternoon, Saturday being its day of publication since the paper was launched well over a 100 years ago.
This, however, is not a notion that would command the support of Barry Geraghty who has a book of five attractive rides at Cheltenham today and could return home to win four consecutive races at Punchestown tomorrow encompassing all the features.
As a freelance Geraghty is able to make his own choices from the mounts on offer to him and it is a matter of interest that this quartet represents four different stables.
He rides Kickham for Edward O'Grady in the Western Pleasure Craddockstown Novice Chase and while he was beaten into second place by Sir OJ on their latest encounter there is a weight changeabout in his favour of 7lb.
Geraghty might have continued with Back In Front in the Mongey Communications Morgiana Hurdle but having taken down the number of the current holder of the Cheltenham Supreme Novice Hurdle Brave Inca at Down Royal a week ago with Macs Joy, he has elected to continue his connection with Jessica Harrington's up and coming star.
When Macs Joy won the valuable Swinton Handicap Hurdle at Haydock Park in May he was carrying only 10 stone.
Thus his ability to beat Brave Inca on the bridle getting 10lb betokens good progress over the summer.
Back In Front who won the 2003 Supreme Novice Hurdle has to try and give 8lb away to Macs Joy whom he beat at level weights on the flat recently.
There are four winners last time out in the half dozen runners that will line up for the Irish Field sponsorship and Geraghty here will be on Michael O'Brien's Forget The Past. He won his Beginners' Chase at Limerick last month being ridden out to defeat Coast To Coast by six lengths.
The final leg of the potential Geraghty four timer is Tumbling Dice (3 p.m.) for Tom Taaffe. This partnership won a start of the year handicap hurdle at Cork.
Pat Hughes and his good 3lb claiming jockey Joey Elliott can complete a double with Helensburgh and Wing Of Fire in the first two races at Punchestown this afternoon.
Helensburgh proved that he was a bargain buy at 8,000 guineas out of Mark Johnston's yard by a clear-cut hurdles win over Kentucky Charm at Punchestown.
Wing Of Fire has come to Hughes from Germany and while he was beaten on his jumping debut, there was plenty to like about his Listowel second placing to Dermot Weld's Tasman.
