3:40 ADARE MANOR OPPORTUNITY SERIES FINAL HANDICAP HURDLE

This is a tricky opener for punters but Fine Theatre and Killaro Boy caught the eye. Both have similar profiles as better-rated chasers now looking to take advantage of their lower hurdles marks. Fine Theatre is just about preferred, having performed consistently in some big handicap chases this season. He began his campaign over hurdles where he finished in between Folsom Blue and General Principle at Clonmel and on that evidence he should be able to go well here, off a mark which is 10lbs lower than his chase assessment.

Killaro Boy may have even more in hand, off a 21lb-lower hurdles mark compared to his chase rating but there is a slight seed of doubt in that he ran disappointingly over the smaller obstacles earlier in the season. However that could have been down to fitness as he was making his seasonal debut and he has since ran fourth to Spider Web in a good handicap chase at Leopardstown. The other one to note is Arthur Moore’s Crossed My Mind, who wasn’t far away from winning this last season and competes off only a 5lb higher mark.

Selection: Fine Theatre

Alternative: Killaro Boy

4:20 LOUIS FITZGERALD HOTEL HURDLE

Pravalaguna and Sire Du Berlais come out best at the weights for this tricky nine-runner contest. Slight preference is for the latter-mentioned, Gordon Elliott’s lightly-raced six-year-old who has the assistance of Barry Geraghty in the saddle. He ran well in the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham, when fourth to Blow By Blow and on this just his third start of the campaign and sixth in all, he could have more to offer.

Pravalaguna ran a nice race behind stablemate Low Sun in the RYBO Handicap Hurdle at Fairyhouse yesterday week. She gets a mares’ allowance here and coming up to this trip should suit. Another worth mentioning is Good Thyne Tara, who ran well at this Festival last season. She should appreciate the better ground and may be fit enough to do herself justice on this her first run in 150 days.

Selection: Sire Du Berlais

Alternative: Pravalaguna

4:55 IRISH DAILY MIRROR NOVICE HURDLE (GRADE 1)

Next Destination brings the best form to the table for this three-mile novice hurdle but it will be his first attempt at the trip. He stayed on to grab third on the line in Samcro's Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham, which looked a good race of which the runner-up Black Op went on to boost the form at Aintree. Still, Next Destination has a question to answer over this longer trip and at the current odds, he looks a bit short.

Kilbricken Storm won a messy Albert Bartlett at the Festival but at least you know he stays well and is coming into this off a career best. Ballyward was possibly one of the horses inconvenienced by the way that contest was run so the fact that he stayed on well to take fourth just behind subsequent Aintree Grade 1 scorer Santini, is creditable. He has only had a handful of runs over hurdles and he could improve again, especially over this distance.

Selection: Ballyward

Alternative: Next Destination

Noel Meade’s chaser has progressed into the top ranks this season, winning at Grade 1 level at Leopardstown at Christmas and then positing an excellent effort to finish fourth on ground that wouldn’t have suited in the Gold Cup.

5:30 CORAL PUNCHESTOWN GOLD CUP (GRADE 1)

Perhaps this isn’t the strongest renewal in recent years and for that reason Road To Respect looks the solid option. Noel Meade’s chaser has progressed into the top ranks this season, winning at Grade 1 level at Leopardstown over Christmas and then positing an excellent effort to finish fourth on ground that wouldn’t have suited in the Gold Cup. The form of his Christmas win reads better now given Balko Des Flos went on to an impressive win in the Ryanair Chase while the form of the Gold Cup has worked out well with Might Bite winning in good style at Aintree. There is a slight worry about him going right handed but he defied that to win at this course on his seasonal debut.

It’s easy to pick sizeable holes in those closest to Road To Respect in the market. Killultagh Vic continues to garner respect from the betting public but he has so much to prove now after a falling in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown and pulling up in the Gold Cup. Bellshill put up a huge performance in the Irish Grand National but you’d have to worry about how much that took out of him, considering how atrocious conditions were at Fairyhouse. A more solid Mullins contender is Djakadam, who was eight lengths and one place away from Road To Respect at Cheltenham. He has an excellent record at Punchestown having finished second in this race for the last three years running. It would be absolutely no surprise to see him on the scene again.

Selection: Road To Respect

Alternative: Djakadam

6:05 RACING POST CHAMPION I.N.H FLAT RACE FOR THE CONYNGHAM CUP (GRADE 1)

This looks a solid renewal with the first, second, third, fifth and sixth from the Cheltenham Champion Bumper set to reoppose. There is little to choose between each of the five, four of which are trained by Willie Mullins. Interestingly Patrick Mullins has decided to ride the fifth home at Cheltenham - Blackbow, with Derek O’Connor on Carefully Selected and Katie Walsh back on Relegate. Blackbow was so impressive at the Dublin Racing Festival but he never settled at Cheltenham and so did well to finish where he did. That said, he will have to settle here as well and this race, with only 10 runners compared to the 23 at Cheltenham, might well be run to suit Carefully Selected. The six-year-old looked all over the winner at Cheltenham until Relegate came from the clouds, and perhaps with a less scorching pace today, he will be able to sustain his advantage if hitting the front.

Away from the Cheltenham contingent, Getaway John isn’t out of it. His form line with Tornado Flyer and his latest defeat of Brace Yourself suggests he isn’t far off the strong standard set by the aforementioned.

Selection: Carefully Selected

Alternative: Getaway John

6:40 GUINNESS HANDICAP CHASE (GRADE A)

Woodland Opera is something of a Punchestown specialist and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if it transpired that he has been laid out for this contest. He took the novice handicap chase over a furlong further at this meeting last season and he races off just a 6lb higher mark today. He was a little bit disappointing on his two previous runs but his defeat of Tombstone at this course earlier in the season reads well and the slightly better ground he can race on today should help, with any further drying a positive.

Patricks Park and Blast Of Koeman are improving chasers who could run very well but the second vote goes to Viconte Du Noyer, whose form figures don’t inspire at all but that was the case before he finished second in this race last season and Colin Tizzard’s horse now returns to Punchestown off a 5lb lower mark.

Selection: Woodland Opera

Alternative: Viconte Du Noyer

7:15 WEATHERBYS GENERAL STUD BOOK IRISH EBF MARES FLAT RACE (GRADE 3)

Colreevy ought to be short price for this race. She has excellent form in the book having finished a close third to subsequent major festival scorers Relegate and Getaway Katie Mai in a Grade 2 mares’ bumper at the Dublin Racing Festival. She herself finished a highly respectable seventh in the Champion Bumper and considering five of the horses that finished in front of her are contesting the Champion Bumper earlier on this card, she looks a cut above these fillies and mares.

Gordon Elliott throws both Tintangle and Black Tears at the race and both are respected, particularly the former, who won in good style at Fairyhouse last week, despite swishing her tail in the straight.

Selection: Colreevy

Alternative: Tintangle