Racing tips: Vaucelet will avenge his defeat in the Champion Hunters Chase of last year

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Day 3 at Perth and Punchestown wasn't great like the entire week has been so far, but it was nice to see Klassical Dream win the Stayers Hurdle for the third time in three years.

Punchestown 4:15 – So Scottish 4/1 (1pt B365)

Though this race is a handicap at one of the big spring Festivals, I don't rate the field at all. I think a lot of them have no chance whatsoever, and I do like the look of So Scottish, who is definitely on a winning mark if he is 100% after his run at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

The Irish Handicapper has this horse rated 138 whereas the British Handicapper had him running at Cheltenham off a mark of 143, which makes his life a lot easier today. He travelled smartly into the race at Cheltenham, but his efforts petered out jumping the last two, and I think that is a combination of testing ground and a stiff track, and obviously going a very good gallop. I think back to a flatter track like Punchestown, on better ground should suit him a lot better. He is definitely on a good handicap mark based on his runs this season, where he finished 2nd to Boothill over 2m 1f, which is evidently too short and the way he went through the race last time out looked like he was ahead of his mark.

There is a strong possibility that he was slightly undercooked for the Cheltenham Festival, as he was running on the back of a 117-day absence, and how quickly he went from running well to going backwards was quite noticeable, so I think he might've come on for that run, making him a big player in this.

Punchestown 6:35 – Vaucelet 2/1 (2pt)

This is another race which doesn't look too competitive and normally the right horses come to the fore, I tipped up Vaucelet for this race last year and he would've won if he didn't plough through the final fence, which saw him lose to Billaway. Willie Mullins' horse fell at the Festival and then finished 2nd to Annamix, and doesn't look like the same horse as a couple of years ago, so I'm not worried about him today and I'm not worried about Annamix as he makes far too many mistakes and the way he won last time out was crazy, looking like a thorough stayer, but the ground shouldn't be anywhere near as testing as it was that day, he had a tough race and it was over a furlong further.

I think this is Vaucelet's race to lose, and I think 2/1 is very good value considering he was EVS to win this race last year. David Christie has come out and said that his horses weren't running well, due to a sickness in his stable so the form of his horses during the spring festivals can be forgiven. This horse was well-fancied for the race at Cheltenham but was barged into on a couple of occasions and apparently, he suffered a bit of a rib injury, but he's back to normal now and it's been all systems go to get him ready for today's race.

Its On The Line will be fancied, but he looks like a thorough stayer too, and I don't think we'll see him in the Hunter's Chases next year as he could be a big player for some of the 4m races, as he came from the clouds to finish 2nd at Cheltenham, so I don't think today's trip is going to be suited for him.

Perth 2:05 – Planned Paradise 7/1 (1pt EW B365)

I would be very tempted to back Destiny Is All for this race as he is one of those Lucinda Russell horses who needs a marathon trip, but the jockey booking of Jamie Hamilton puts me off as Patrick Wadge has opted for the other Lucinda runner, and I think he has no chance, so surely he would've had the pick of the two, considering Jamie has never ridden for Lucinda before. So with that being said I've gone for the southern raider, Planned Paradise.

This race has been a happy hunting ground for the English trainers, especially those who are situated down south, and I think this lad has all the attributes to get involved in this race. He stays the trip, will handle the ground and has the form in the bag to suggest his handicap mark of 117 (112 with 5lb claimer) is well within reach.

He finished 2nd behind Quick Wave at Sandown earlier this year, and that horse went on to win a very nice pot at Haydock a couple of months ago, and that was over 3m 5f. The owners of Planned Paradise are big into their gambling, and they've done very well this year with their string of horses, and I don't think for one minute they'd come up to Perth unless they really fancied their chances. Neil Mullholand has a cracking record at the track, with 15 winners from 75 runners with a further 30 being placed!

Sandown 1:15 – Kuwait City 3/1 (1pt B365)

I do try and avoid 3yo races at the start of the season as you don't know which have physically and mentally matured over the winter, also fitness comes into play but when the ground is in a horse's favour and it looks like it won't suit many others, I think you've got to go for it and that is Kuwait City.

He was lightly raced in his 2yo campaign, only racing six times, but his sole win came on soft ground at Yarmouth and he cantered home on it that day, looking like he was firmly at home on that surface. Sandown is currently soft and is expecting more overnight rain so it will get testing out there. He is one of the only horses in the race who is proven on this ground, and I think at 3/1 he looks a player.

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