SATURDAY PUNCHESTOWN IRISH NH TIPS

This seven-year-old runs in the green and gold of JP McManus and got a proper handicapping over the minimum trip over fences last season before eventually stepping up to near three miles at Navan to win off a mark of 107. He's rated 121 now and ran a stormer last time behind Macdermott at Fairyhouse over Easter who has franked the form in no uncertain style since.

He runs here from 3lbs out of the handicap off a featherweight of 10st. He's got a beautiful racing weight and comes from a shrewd outfit. I think he rates a great bet and should be a nice price to boot.

He has some good handicap form this season getting the better of Answer To Kayf in Fairyhouse before running a good 2nd at Christmas at Leopardstown. He was hotly fancied for the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham where he ran with the choke out the whole way and just found one too good up the hill. That was a huge effort.

Having Mark Walsh back in the saddle will help and if they can harness that energy and get him to settle here, he should be very difficult to beat.

This may well be a bit of a flyer, but Anthony Honeyball is a trainer with a great record with his horses when he comes to this meeting. Credo has run some huge races in some of the biggest staying handicap chases in the UK over the winter on ground softer than ideal for him and a return to nicer ground here will be a big positive.

I wouldn't doubt for a second that this has long been the plan having had a 77-day break and coming here fresh. I expect a big run and will be shocked if he doesn't go close.