Punchestown tips: Johnny Ward's best bets for day four

Honeysuckle bids farewell for the season at Punchestown and, with some high-profile flops from the de Bromhead stable this week, punters may be a shade wary.

Thankfully for her supporters, she never seems to disappoint, and one hopes at this stage she retires unbeaten – perhaps after meeting Constitution Hill next season.

We've two days left of the jumps season, the Classics taking centre stage this weekend. Hopefully our luck improves; it's been a trying Punchestown, as it often is.

3.40 Punchestown: An Droichead Gorm

Punchestown has a real mixture of races at its Festival. This race's conditions are unique, restricted to "the bona fide and unconditional property of farmers farming land in the Kildare Hunt District and in their possession since 1st January, 2022. Sons and daughters of persons qualified to enter, working on their parents' farms and who have no other occupation, are eligible to enter horses, their bona fide property, in this race."

It seems only Alpha Male and An Droichead Gorm can win but Alpha Male has been quite well-beaten in the last two renewals and is clearly vulnerable. An Droichead Gorm is trained by the promising Sonny Carey, ran a blinder for him off 92 when last seen under Rules, won easily in a point on his return, is not heavily raced and gets 7lb off Alpha Male.

4.15 Punchestown: Il Courra

There's so much pace on in this race, with Rightplacerightime known to jump left, it could well pay to sit off the pace. Il Courra was a decent hurdler and ran a blinder on his chase debut from off the pace at Naas in November. His handicap debut was encouraging too, Grand National-winning rider PJ O'Hanlon helps offset his being out of the handicap and he's a huge price.