Bookies think Kennedy won't be caught in title race

It was all change in the betting on the Irish jump jockeys' title after day three of the Punchestown festival and Jack Kennedy is now long odds-on to be crowned champion for the first time on Saturday.

The Kerry man's Grade 1 victory on Teahupoo in the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle was his first of the festival and moved him onto 123 winners for the campaign.

Six-time champion Paul Townend surprisingly drew a blank on Thursday, including a defeat on 1/3 favourite Gaelic Warrior as well as three other market leaders, and remains six winners adrift of Kennedy.

Townend is booked for ten rides over the final two days of the meeting including apparent 'bankers' State Man Ballyburn and Lossiemouth but is running out of chances to overhaul Kennedy.

The latter, suspended for Saturday's action, has his final five rides of the season today including Irish Point who renews Cheltenham rivalry with State Man in the featured Boodles Champion Hurdle at 6.00pm.

Paddy Power radically revised their odds on this market as the action unfolded yesterday and now make Kennedy 1-10 favourite from 6-5 (before racing yesterday) with Townend out to 5/1 from 8-13 favourite.

Day four of the festival starts at 3.40 with eight races again on the card.

Following 4mm of rain overnight, the going description is Yielding with fresh ground available on the hurdle and chase tracks. It's a damp morning with drizzle set to continue into tomorrow bringing up to 5mm (approx) according to Met Éireann.

🌱 Ground update from @ihrb_ie Clerk of the Course, Brendan Sheridan, ahead of the fourth day of the @punchestownrace Festival

The first of eight races is due off at 3.40pm pic.twitter.com/G51IUx3uNF

— IHRB Raceday information (@IHRBRaceday) May 3, 2024