3:40 JLT HANDICAP HURDLE

A 25-runner minefield to kick off proceedings. Call A Cab looked like he could progress after winning over this course and distance in February but he disappointed at Fairyhouse on his latest run and he has it to prove now. A more solid option could be Philip Dempsey’s Chesterfield King who just missed out on getting a run in the Killashee Handicap Hurdle here on Tuesday. The five-year-old may be better suited to this sort of trip after he finished just ahead of Call A Cab in that Fairyhouse race won by Nobody Home, who also reopposes, He has been progressed gradually since finishing fourth to Wee Small Hours in a handicap hurdle at Navan in January.

Others to note are Stowaway Forerver, who is a consistent sort and Western Ruler, who did it in good style when winning at Fairyhouse and is one who could progress now, with Rachael Blackmore teaming up again.

Selection: CHESTERFIELD KING

Alternative: Western Ruler

4:15 PIGSBACK.COM HANDICAP CHASE (GRADE B)

There are another 24 runners for this two-mile handicap chase but it doesn’t have the look of a typical major festival handicap with the majority of the field either out of form or fully exposed. That can’t be said of Bon Papa, the Willie Mullins-trained novice, who ran well when second to Bel Ami De Sivola at Fairyhouse recently and he can improve on that effort. He won his beginners chase over this course and distance earlier in the season and was then tried at Grade 1 level over longer trips, when he wasn’t seen to best effect. Back over the two-mile trip at Fairyhouse, he fared much better and on just his fifth run over fences, he take advantage of a mark of 144.

Speredek is an interesting British contender. He disappointed in the Grade 1 Ascot Chase last time but previously to that run, he was progressing nicely, and was only beaten seven lengths by Un De Sceaux. Punchestown should suit and he can go well at a nice price. Three Stars also deserved a mention. He has run really well in races over this trip at both the Dublin Racing Festival and at Cheltenham. He is also a Grade 3 winner over fences around Punchestown and the ground will be fine for him.

Selection: BON PAPA

Alternative: Speredek

4:50 FRIENDS FIRST CROSS COUNTRY CHASE FOR THE LA TOUCHE CUP

The evergreen Bless The Wings can gain a deserved success back over the banks. Gordon Elliott’s gelding has twice been runner-up in the Irish Grand National, won over the banks at Cheltenham and remarkably finished third in the Aintree Grand National at the age of 13 earlier this month. He is best on ratings in this, and even has the luxury of receiving 8lbs from his main rival Auvergnat.

Just Wait And See makes a quick reappearance after winning here on Tuesday for the Gleesons but this looks a tougher assignment. Josies Orders hasn’t been in the best of form this season but he was only beaten a short head by Auvergnat around this course in February and may not be too far away from that runner again.

Selection: BLESS THE WINGS

Alternative: Josies Orders

5:30 LADBROKES CHAMPION STAYERS HURDLE (GRADE 1)

Penhill is favourite to make it a Stayers Hurdle double but at around the 4/1 mark, Identity Thief looks worth playing. Willie Mullins’s horse won the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham despite making his seasonal debut but in truth, the race was something of a farce, with a pace collapse from start to finish. He beat the third horse home Wholestone by five lengths which is the same distance Identity Thief beat that runner by at Aintree, in what was a much truer run affair. The two horses have basically the same form line, with separate questions to answer. Penhill got beaten coming back to Punchestown last season and more evidence is needed for him to convince he is fully effective at three miles, especially racing off a quicker pace. Identity Thief has to defy just a 12-day gap. All in all however, there shouldn’t be the discrepancy in prices that there is.

Bacardys is of interest, considering he was staying on when falling in Penhill’s Stayers’ Hurdle and he won a Grade 1 over hurdles at this meeting last season. However he has had a rough season by all accounts and looks plenty short enough at 4/1. It’s also difficult to trust Faugheen, though he can do better at this trip. At a bigger price, the Warren Greatrex-trained La Bague Au Roi could go well. She disappointed in the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham but she did too much early on and she may well be more at home over this longer trip. She gets a mares’ allowance and the soft ground is fine for her.

Selection: IDENTITY THIEF

Alternative: La Bague Au Roi

6:05 ALANNA HOMES HANDICAP HURDLE (GRADE B)

As ever, this looks an ultra competitive renewal. Folsom Blue is a good place to start. He has done really well since joining Gordon Elliott this season and was last seen finishing fourth in the Irish Grand National. He has twice run over hurdles this season, winning at Clonmel and then finishing a good fourth to Topofthegame at Sandown. He is just 5lbs higher than his Clonmel win and considering he has won over fences since then, he could still be well treated over hurdles. On the flip side he is coming off a gruelling test in the Irish National and it’s hard to know what that took out of him at the age of 11.

This race can often go to an unexposed, young horse coming up in trip - a five or six-year-old has won three of the previous four renewals - and so Dicey O’Riley could fit the bill. Henry de Bromhead’s gelding was last seen finishing a good fifth in a Grade 1 novice hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival, a race which has been strengthened by subsequent efforts from its winner Tower Bridge and runner-up Jetz. That was just Dicey O’Reilly’s third run over hurdles and he has further scope to progress now, coming up to this trip.

Elsewhere horses like Glenloe and A Great View have proven form in this sort of race and should be there or thereabouts. Screaming Rose also caught the eye - she finished third in this race last season and returns off the exact same mark.

Selection: DICEY O’REILLY

Alternative: Folsom Blue

6:40 RYANAIR NOVICE CHASE (GRADE 1)

He missed Aintree due to a slight setback but all being well with Footpad, he should add yet another Grade 1 to his novice chase campaign. His performance at Cheltenham was a highlight of the week for many, as he clocked a seriously good time despite making a sizeable mistake earlier in the race. Soft ground is fine for him and he seems to have the measure of the reopposing Petit Mouchoir, who further blotted his copybook when getting turned over by Diego Du Charmil at Aintree.

The one who could give Footpad the most to do is Pat Fahy’s Castlegrace Paddy. He was last seen winning comfortably in the Listed Pierce Moloney Chase at Thurles, the same race Great Field won en route to winning this contest last season, and his trainer, already in the winners’ enclosure this week, reported he should come on a ton for that.

Selection: FOOTPAD

Alternative: Castlegrace Paddy

7:15 CLOSE BROTHERS MARES NOVICE HURDLE (LISTED)

This mares race is a tricky contest with nothing really jumping off the page. For that reason it might be worth taking a chance on something at a price. Joseph O’Brien’s Alighting was a little disappointing behind Lackaneen Leader on her previous run but she performed much better at this track prior to that, when getting within six lengths of the classy Meri Devie, conceding that runner 2lbs. As she has yet to win, she fares much better at the weights in this contest, receiving at least 4lbs from all but three of the 17-runner field. Coming back to this trip should suit and she has scope to improve on just her sixth ever start.

A more solid option is Denis Hogan’s Moyhenna, who is the top rated mare. She ran another fine race in the valuable three-mile novice handicap won by Agent Boru at Fairyhouse and should be thereabouts back against her own sex and coming back down in trip.

Selection: ALIGHTING

Alternative: Moyhenna

7:45 KILDARE POST (C&G) FLAT RACE

Six of the 11-runner field are trained by Willie Mullins and it is interesting that Patrick Mullins is riding Getareason and not the same owners’ Rio Vivas. Getareason won nicely at Downpatrick and should improve, but the form of the Navan bumper Rio Vivas won has worked out really well with both the second and third, Cuneo and Where Eagles Dare, winning on their subsequent starts. The son of Voix Du Nord ran out a 10-length winner at Navan, showing a good deal of improvement from his racecourse debut and should he improve again, he will be difficult to beat, with Katie Walsh an able replacement in the saddle.

Selection: RIO VIVAS

Alternative: Getareason