2024 Castle Novice Chase Betting Odds at Punchestown racecourse

Thursday, 02 May 2024

The Barberstown Castle Novice takes place on Thursday 2 May and it could turn out to be a procession as far as Gaelic Warrior is concerned. The Rich Ricci-owned runner could be too talented for the opposition, with the six-year-old having won at the Cheltenham Festival and there’s a reasonable chance that another victory will be landed here.

Il Etait Temps has won three of his five outings this season and could also be capable of running a big race, with Danny Mullins on board a horse who is the only other realistic contender in the field. Hercule Du Seuil has a very outside chance, although Mount Frisco is just there to make up the numbers in reality.

2024 Castle Novice Chase Tips

Gaelic Warrior has a fairly unblemished record coming into the Punchestown Festival, with the six-year-old having won the Arkle Challenge Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival. This victory was all the more impressive considering that the 2/1 favourite was able to win by eight and a half lengths when beating Found a Fifty.

We can perhaps forgive the horse for unseating his rider at Leopardstown in early February when running against Fact To File in a two-runner Novice Chase, with the horse having previously recorded victories at Limerick and Punchestown. It all amounts to an impressive track record and there’s a reason why the horse is trading at big odds-on.

Il Etait Temps has won three times this season and produced an excellent performance to win at Aintree in the Close Brothers Manifesto Novices' Chase. Sent off at odds of 3/1, the horse was able to prosper over two miles and four furlongs, with the runner claiming a nine-length triumph in the process.

However, he has to find over thirteen lengths on Gaelic Warrior considering that the two squared off at the Cheltenham Festival and second place might be the realistic outcome here. The leading pair in the betting should be well clear of the other two runners in the field, with Hercule Du Seuil likely to finish third.