WITH just about 10 days to go before the curtain rises on the five-day Punchestown Festival, excitement is building in many quarters.

Racegoers are in for a number of treats when they stream in their thousands through the turnstiles of the historic Co Kildare venue. The quality of racing is always high, but this year’s Festival is going to benefit from a targeted campaign by the big battalions of Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott, along with the best of the other trainers. Many Cheltenham heroes are set to reappear.