2:35 DOOLEY INSURANCES CROSS COUNTRY CHASE

It would be rare that a Punchestown Festival went by without an Enda Bolger-trained winner of a banks race and the trainer holds half of the eight-runner field here in a bid to get himself on the board. Two of the four, Blue Templar and Love Rory, have already run this week with the former performing with credit when finishing third to Enniskillen, who reopposes, on Tuesday.

Peter Maher’s 12-year-old will team up with Jamie Codd again and will probably start favourite ahead of Blue Templar. However it may be Bolger’s COLOUR SQUADRON that gives him the most to do. He hasn’t run yet this week so comes here as a fresh horse and is having just his third try under these unique conditions so can improve.

SELECTION: COLOUR SQUADRON NEXT BEST: BLUE TEMPLAR LONGSHOT: MTADA SUPREME

3:10 THREE.IE HANDICAP CHASE

This marathon race should play right to the strengths of Noel Meade’s TULSA JACK. The eight-year-old ran a cracker to finish second in the Ulster National at Downpatrick on his previous run and he was just getting into this race last season when he fell at the second last. The good ground will suit and he should go close.

British raiders Courtown Oscar and Warrantor are interesting contenders. Preference is for the latter who ran well in the Midlands National at Uttoxeter and should handle today’s conditions well.

Ross O’Sullivan’s Call It Magic is one to note at a potentially big price. He ran well to finish second to Killaro Boy at Fairyhouse last time which was an improved effort for him. He could well improve again here for this longer trip.

SELECTION: TULSA JACK NEXT BEST: WARRANTOR LONGSHOT: CALL IT MAGIC

Apple's Jade winning the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham

3:50 IRISH STALLION EBF MARES CHAMPION HURDLE

The coast has been left clear for APPLE'S JADE with no Annie Power, Limini or Vroum Vroum Mag to take on, and this race looks like hers to lose. The five-year-old mare has progressed right to the top of this division this season and has scored two Grade 1’s wins, both over this distance. She was excellent at Cheltenham where she showed guts to hold off the two Willie Mullins and Susannah Ricci mares and she was also an excellent winner on this card last season when she took the Champion Four Year Old Hurdle.

Willie Mullins holds four of the seven entries. Ruby Walsh has opted to ride the unexposed Limerick winner Karalee which looks a brave call on the balance of form. Whiteout won this race last season and she looks overpriced to put up another big performance. It may be the novice Augusta Kate that gives the favourite the most to do. She was very good when getting up to beat Let’s Dance at Fairyhouse and could well improve again.

SELECTION: APPLE’S JADE NEXT BEST: AUGUSTA KATE LONGSHOT: WHITEOUT

4:25 AES CHAMPION FOUR YEAR OLD HURDLE

This race looks between Mega Fortune and Bapaume, who have been duelling all season and with the score at 2-2, they are set for a decider. With €100,000 up for grabs, this could well be the defining race in the battle between Gordon Elliott and Willie Mullins for the Irish Trainers’ Championship.

There was very little between the pair at Cheltenham, just a short head in fact, and bookmakers are finding it hard to split them. The undulations of Punchestown may just put enough emphasis on stamina to swing the battle in favour of MEGA FORTUNE which would provide a huge boost to his trainer.

Meri Devie also represents Mullins and though she was well beaten by the aforementioned pair at Leopardstown, she has the scope to improve on her third start over fences. She will have to improve though and it will probably be Landofhopeandglory who provides the biggest opposition. He wasn’t beaten far in the Triumph Hurdle and may well be suited to the better ground he will get here. An outsider of note is another Mullins horse Dandy Mag, who ran a fine race at Fairyhouse and looks to be improving.

SELECTION: MEGA FORTUNE DANGER: BAPAUME LONGSHOT: DANDY MAG

Sandymount Duke may have been laid out for the Pat Taaffe Handicap Chase

5:00 PALMERSTOWN HOUSE PAT TAAFFE HANDICAP CHASE

SANDYMOUNT DUKE may well have been laid out for this by the all-conquering Jessica Harrington team. He finished third in the Grade 1 novice hurdle won by Bellshill at this meeting last season, the same race Drinmore winner Coney Island finished second in and the now 153-rated Acapella Bourgeois was fourth. That form reads very well now and the son of Hernando could be very well treated for this off a mark of 137. He hasn’t been seen since October but that is not a worry because he had a similar layoff before his good run here last season. Everything looks in place for a huge run.

In a competitive race there is no shortage of dangers like impressive Aintree scorer Sizing Codelco, representing another in-form team in that of Colin Tizzard’s and Bless The Wings who put up another excellent performance to finish second in the Irish Grand National for the second year running. The Crafty Butcher is also worth mentioning. He has threatened to win a big handicap chase this season and still looks to have a workable mark.

An outsider of note is Solstice Sun, representing British trainer Anthony Honeyball. He is another who is coming off a long layoff but that might well have been the plan. He has ground conditions and his rating is only 4lbs higher than the mark he last won off.

SELECTION: SANDYMOUNT DUKE NEXT BEST: THE CRAFTY BUTCHER LONGSHOT: SOLSTICE SUN

5:35 BALLYMORE HANDICAP HURDLE

SCOIR MEAR had no luck in running when finishing fifth to Supasundae in the Coral Cup at Cheltenham and he may be able to gain compensation here. Thomas Mullins’s horse has been a model of consistency all season and seemed to improve for a better surface and faster pace at Cheltenham. He should have those two factors again in this race and he can put up a big run.

There are no shortage of dangers in a typically competitive renewal. Willie Mullins holds nine of 25-runner field while Gordon Elliott holds five. Mullins’s best chance is probably Bonbon Au Miel, the choice of Ruby Walsh. The Graham Wylie-owned six-year-old won last time out and may well be on the upgrade now. Elliott’s best chance looks like Sire Du Berlais, who ran well on his previous run, which came at this course behind Mick Jazz and Cilaos Emery, who franked the form with an impressive win earlier in the week.

One at a bigger price to consider is Derulo, who ran excellent race behind Ice Cold Coul in the Coral.ie Handicap Hurdle at Leopardstown. He won on his next start and comes into this as an improving horse.

SELECTION: SCOIR MEAR NEXT BEST: SIRE DU BERLAIS LONGSHOT: DERULO

6:10 ATTHERACES.COM INH FLAT RACE

No form to go on here as this bumper is limited to horses who have never run on the track. A tentative vote is given to THE SHEARERS WIFE, who was bought for €40,000 by Aidan ‘Mouse’ O’Ryan and Gordon Elliott for his current owner and who Jamie Codd has been booked to ride.

Sparky Stowaway may well have a say as well for Thomas and Patrick Mullins. He is a half brother to Fairy Island, who ran well in a good bumper on his track debut. Peter Fahey’s Vocarium, to be ridden by Katie Walsh, is a half brother to Group 3 winner Veracity, owned by Godolphin. He is another to note.

SELECTION: THE SHEARERS WIFE NEXT BEST: SPARKY STOWAWAY LONGSHOT: VOCARIUM