Punchestown Jumps Opener October 13th Handicap

14:40 Punchestown Tue 15 Sep 2026 1m30y Good 16 runners

Mr Fox’s call

Zaraahmando

SPECULATIVE Advised 9/2 Est. 22%

6TH

Mr Fox says

Zaraahmando (SR:79, 9/2) is the strongest market mover in the field with a 22% market shortening — the most significant steaming of any runner — which carries real informational weight in a 16-runner handicap like this. Carrying 9-6, a favourable weight compared to top-weight Sonoran's 10-3, and with a GoingFit:~ on good ground, the yard has clearly targeted this race. The form string 623324 shows consistent placing without winning recently, which is exactly the profile of a horse running off a workable mark (MarkMv:+4, not punitive) that the market is backing to finally convert. Trainer A. Slattery at 11% strike rate with jockey Andrew Slattery (9%, 915 runners) is a tight connections combo, and the tongue-tie first application (HG:t) adds a legitimate physical improvement angle that often accompanies market support of this magnitude. Each-way alternative: Motta Alta. Main danger: Motta Alta — Motta Alta (SR:83, 9/2) is the highest-rated horse in the field under Mrs J. Harrington (10%, 1576 runners) with Shane Foley aboard (11%, 1738 runners), and despite the drift (Mkt:out13%), the raw SR advantage of 4 points over Zaraahmando carried on a light 9-6 makes it the most credible form threat if the drift is simply positional rather than a genuine negative signal.

Verify· #17842

Full result

Winner: Follow Me (FR) at SP 13/2. Mr Fox’s picks highlighted in gold.