Banker or bust? Daddy Long Legs in the 3.40 at Tipperary

Daddy Long Legs is a best-priced 11/10 on Sunday morning for this Grade Three contest but which version of him is going to turn up? 

The five-year-old bolted up off a mark of 135 in a handicap hurdle at the Punchestown Festival, looking a young hurdler of some potential for Willie Mullins. However, he ran lamentably here at Tipperary next time, when a 2/5 favourite, and also fluffed his lines last time when trailing home last of 19 runners in the Galway Hurdle. 

Some will give him a pass for that latest effort as he was turned sideways at the start, although that does not completely explain his tame performance. I thought his jumping was deliberate in the second half of the race, reflected by the RaceiQ data indicating he was the worst from getting to A to B. 

It could be he will bounce back in these calmer waters, faced by only four rivals, but I wouldn’t want to be taking 11/10 to find out. 

His stablemate, Winter Fog, won the Tipperary race he flopped in, plus finished a long way in front of him in the Galway Hurdle. The meet on similar terms here. And Mighty Tom cannot be discounted either, even though he would be 6lb better off with Daddy Long Legs if this was a handicap. 

Verdict: Bust