Rachael Blackmore gives insight into her five rides on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival, including Upping The Anti in the competitive final of the Full Circle Series.

Rachael Blackmore is excited about the start of the Punchestown Festival and has five rides on the opening day.

Upping The Anti in the competitive Full Circle Series final is the first race of the day for the 34-year-old jockey, with Slade Steel and Captain Guinness among her other horses.

He Betfair The ambassador reveals some insights into her attractions at the Punchestown Festival on Tuesday.

Punchestown Tuesday

3.05 – Raising the anti

Punchestown Festival starts on Tuesday and I’m really looking forward to it! It’s always a great meeting.

I’m riding Upping The Anti in the new Full Circle Series finale and I hope he does well. It’s obviously a very competitive race, but he’s in good form and should appreciate being back on nicer ground than the heavy ground he encountered in Navan last time. His hurdles mark is much lower than his pursuit mark and I hope he can be competitive from there.

3.40 – Steel Slade

Obviously this is a very good race, the top four of the Supreme Novices’ obstacle course are here again.

It’s going to be a different type of race to the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, Punchestown is very different to Cheltenham, but Slade Steel came out on top at Cheltenham and I hope they can do it again. I don’t think he’s ever going to be flashy, but he’s a tough horse, he was very good at Cheltenham and came out of the race in great form.

Any rain at Punchestown will help him, but everyone at Knockeen is happy with him and we’re hoping for another good run.

4.15 – Jasko Des Dames

This is another very competitive race, but we hope Jasko Des Dames can do well.

He was a bit disappointing in Naas on the last day, but seems to be in very good shape since then. He doesn’t have much experience for a race like this, he has only raced hurdles three times, but he jumps well, learns well and running on a nicer surface should help him. He ran well in the first hurdle race at Punchestown in January, over this course and distance, and we hope he can run well here again.

5.25 – Captain Guinness

I’m really looking forward to riding Captain Guinness again in the Punchestown Champions Chase.

He gave us an incredible day at Cheltenham, it was brilliant for everyone, winning the Queen Mother’s Champion Chase and for him to get his first Grade 1 win. He has also come out of the race in great form.

Obviously it’s a very good race, but he’s a very consistent horse and I hope he can put together another great performance.

Their Tuesday rides include Slade Steel, Jasko Des Dames, Captain Guinness and Monty’s Star.

6.00 – Monty’s star

Monty’s Star ran very well at Cheltenham to finish second in the Brown Advisory Novice Chase. It was a great race, we were very happy when you finished second and he came out of the race very well.

We really want you to come back here. He won his novice chase at Punchestown in December, jumped very well that day and we hope he can do it again. He has only raced three times over hurdles and we hope to get more results out of him.