Punchestown Guiness Gold Cup Betting Preview

There are only seven runners declared for the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup on Wednesday but what a race in prospect as War Of Attrition bids to emulate Kicking King by winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup before going on to win this race next time out. Mouse Morris' stable star dispelled doubts surrounding his stamina in good style when landing the Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival, running on strongly to beat Hedgehunter by two and a half lengths with Forget The Past and Beef Or Salmon, both whom re-oppose on Wednesday, third and eleventh respectively. War Of Attrition appears to have improved for being stepped up in trip and it goes without saying that he is the one to beat in this Grade 1 contest. However, I reckon that the Michael O'Brien-trained Forget The Past is capable of reversing the placings over this slightly shorter trip, and on this less undulating track. The eight-year-old was at the head of affairs as the runners bypassed the third-last in the Gold Cup, but was unable to match War Of Attrition and Hedgehunter from two out, and was eventually beaten just over nine lengths into third. Given that he had hit five fences on the second circuit, Barry Geraghty's mount understandably found the final climb a bridge too far, as the first two were the stronger up the stiff Prestbury Park hill. However, the fact that he made so many mistakes at Cheltenham doesn't worry me in the context of this race, because the pace in this race will be nowhere as searching here as it was in the Gold Cup, something which appeared to suit War Of Attrition. Indeed, lack of pace is likely to be a key factor in this race, and it may be that Forget The Past will actually cut out the running given how prominently he has been ridden in recent races, and there is no other front-runners present. As such, this could easily turn into a tactical heat, and the selection could nick the race from the front if Geraghty gets the tactics right. At 9/2 with Paddy Power, Forget The Past rates excellent value. There is no doubt that Beef Or Salmon is a class act, but is starting to look exposed now and, although he readily beat both War Of Attrition and Forget The Past at Leopardstown last December, subsequent efforts suggest that the latter duo have improved markedly since. Furthermore, Beef Or Salmon ran abysmally in the Gold Cup before unseating Paul Carberry at Aintree. The ten-year-old's confidence may have been helped by a spin over hurdles at Fairyhouse last week when staying on to finish third to Patsy Hall. But, all in all, the percentage call is to oppose Michael Hourigan's charge now given that others have far more scope. Hi Cloy, who landed the Melling Chase in game fashion over two and a half miles at Aintree last time, is a doubtful stayer over this 3m 1f trip, a remark which also applies to Watson Lake and the veteran, Native Upmanship. Back In Front was in the process of running a sound race when sprawling on landing two out in the Sun Alliance Chase, although he was starting to feel the pinch and, as in the case with the aforementioned trio, his stamina is far from assured. In addition, this is some task for one so inexperienced over the larger obstacles.