Banker Or Bust? Pied Piper in the 3.20 at Punchestown

The William Hill Committed To Top Prices Hurdle at Punchestown on Tuesday may well develop into a prolonged game of cat and mouse. 

Front-running Aspire Tower seems almost certain to get an uncontested lead with his three rivals stalking him. If you end up missing the race live and watching a replay, it may be worth fast forwarding to two out to save a bit of time. 

What happens from that stage is less certain, although Pied Piper, a best-priced 8-13,should breeze past and win easily if he’s anywhere near his best. 

After all, this is a horse who has made the frame in three races at the Cheltenham Festival, finishing a close third to Vauban in the 2022 Triumph Hurdle and being placed off lofty marks in the past two editions of the County Hurdle. And it was this time last year that he finished runner-up in the Cesarewitch. 

He’s heavily favoured by the weights and this represents one of the easiest assignments he has ever had over hurdles. On the minus side, he’s been below-par in both his races on the Flat this summer, especially when a short price at Galway last time, and it was only last week that Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy had one turned over at 1-9. 

Pied Piper’s defeats on the level, coupled with the fact he has not got his head in front for a couple of years now, will make some nervous of backing him at cramped odds, but getting back over jumps may well invigorate him and, all things being equal, he should be able to pick off Aspire Tower, who is returning to hurdling after a mixed time over fences last season, having been off 30 months before that. 

This trip is probably as far as he wants to go, too, and he’s not the kind of horse who would be happy dropping anchor in front. The race could just fall into Pied Piper’s lap because Eagle Fang is officially rated 25lb inferior him, yet must concede 9lb to, while Byker also has a mountain to climb on these terms. 

Verdict: Banker