WEDNESDAY

WILLIE Mullins poses the biggest threat to Colin Tizzard's star as he runs Djakadam and Don Poli in the Bibby Financial Services Punchestown Gold Cup. However, neither proved a match for Cue Card at Aintree. Cue Card bounced back from Cheltenham by trouncing Don Poli and Djakadam (both of whom could line up here) at Aintree.

Dual Irish Gold Cup winner Carlingford Lough runs for John Kiely and JP McManus, with Noel Meade set to saddle the classy Grade 1 winner Road To Riches for Gigginstown House. Henry de Bromhead's Smashing and the Ted Walsh-trained Foxrock, ridden by Denis O'Regan, make up the septet.

Earlier on in the card Bellshill is the choice in the Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle. After below par runs at Leopardstown in February and in the Supreme Novices Hurdle Bellshill came back to form with a fine second in the Sefton Novices Hurdle at Aintree where he looked unfortunate to lose out by a neck to Ballyoptic.

A Grade 1 winner earlier in the season, Bellshill was well suited by stepping up to three miles at Liverpool and there could be more to come from him over this trip. Interestingly he also ran at the three main Festivals last season and progressed from an unplaced run at Cheltenham to take second at Aintree before signing off with victory in the champion bumper here. His campaign could be set to end in identical circumstances on Wednesday.

An intriguing rival and one with scope for plenty of improvement at this trip is Coney Island. He was tackling three miles for the first time when running out an assured winner of a useful handicap at Fairyhouse over Easter and this five-year-old looks more than capable of holding his own against quality novices.

As expected Willie Mullins holds a powerful hand in the Attheraces.com Champion Bumper where Bacardys is put forward to complete the Aintree-Punchestown double. He followed his winning debut with a fine third at Cheltenham and then looked to take another step forward by seeing off his ultra tough stablemate Battleford at Liverpool. It could well be that the Aintree race holds the key to the outcome of this contest.

However, there are several others that warrant close attention including the Mullins-trained Invitation Only whose debut victory marked him out as a horse of some promise. Grotesque looks a fine prospect for the future and could easily step forward from his Gowran triumph while last year’s Cheltenham bumper winner Moon Racer add plenty of interest to the line up.

Forge Meadow looked a cracking prospect when she won a valuable sales bumper on her debut over Easter. It wouldn’t surprise if she were able to overcome Augusta Kate in the newly introduced mares Listed bumper which ends the card.