JAKE PRICE’S THURSDAY PUNCHESTOWN TIPS

The NAP on Day Three of the Punchestown Festival is Blood Destiny for the Willie Mullins juggernaut.

This five-year-old has been a good Novice Chaser this season, winning on debut at Naas before finishing second behind Tuesday's Grade 1 winner Spillane's Tower over 2m3½f at Punchestown in January.

He's twice more had good duals with that rival, but the only time he was able to emerge victorious was over two miles at Navan in March, where he looked to show plenty of pace. Dropping back to two miles at Punchestown for his Handicap debut is surely going to see him to good effect, and although he's rated 150, I think that there is more to come from him under Paul Townend.

I think that the rising force in the Cross-Country division will be Coko Beach, and he surely can follow up his recent success over the Punchestown banks.

He's already enjoyed successful campaign with victory in the Troytown at Navan in November but following a good 2nd in the Becher at Aintree he absolutely cantered around this Cross-Country course in February when beating Genois by six lengths.

He was only 11th in the Grand National last month, but back over the banks at Punchestown will surely see him to better affect and next year I can see him going onto Cheltenham Festival success.

At a bit of a bigger price on Thursday is Gabby's Cross for the Henry de Bromhead team, and he surely has better chances on better ground.

Well fancied for the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival last month off a mark of 133, the ground probably went against him - as he never got out of the rear of the pack on that soft ground when finishing 18th of 22 runners. That doesn't tell the full story though as he went off a 9/1 shot and was clearly fancied by a lot of people, especially considering his form behind Buddy One at Galway in October and of course his 2nd at Punchestown in November in the Qualifier.

Back on some quicker ground at the Punchestown Festival is surely going to suit him much better, and he drops down to his Irish Mark of 127 here which makes him look well treated compared to his Chase mark of 140.