The Punchestown Festival gets underway on Tuesday afternoon to kick-start the five-days of top-class racing, with many taking to the field having already been crowned in Cheltenham Festival glory.
The Festival goes on until the Saturday, April 30 capping off the jumps season with a bang, with the Champion Chase, Gold Cup, Stayers Hurdle, Champion Hurdle and Ballymore.
Cheltenham Festival's top jockey had a lot to smile about that week including winning the Queen Mother Champion Chase on Energumene
Bob Olinger has won the Ballymore Novices Hurdle and the Turner's Novices Chase at Cheltenham Festival with Blackmore aboard
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The Tuesday starts things off in spectacular fashion given the field.
They are packed with those who have impressed and won well over the last few months in top grade company.
Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott are likely to dominate pretty much every single race and the opener.
Some greats to look out for in today's proceedings include Sir Gerhard, Energumene, Chacun Pour Soi, Envoi Allen, Bob Olinger, Capodanno, Fury Road, and Millers Bank to name a few.
Mares' Novice Hurdle Betting tips and preview
Party Central at 5/2
Impervious with Brian Moore winning ahead of Party Central under Davy Russell at Down Royal
The Mares' Novice Hurdle contested over 2m and half a furlong is the opener of the amazing festival and an intriguing listed race to get things going in Kildare.
Mullins sends out a three pronged attack in this race with Dinoblue, the favourite, in the colours of JP McManus, Grangee who is contending with the favourites and Instit, a lightly raced 4-year-old looking to surprise the punters.
Elliott's big shot at the opener comes in the form of the six-year-old mare, Party Central, a clear second favourite in the betting.
She was seventh on her latest outing at the Cheltenham Festival nine lengths behind Love Envoi, but that was in Grade 2 company and a drop back into this listed race could reignite the wins.
This is a horse that has already won over this track in the 2m 3f over yielding ground and not the very soft conditions that she's not won on before.
Dinoblue and Grangee are the clear threats but down six pounds since her Cheltenham run is going off at a very attractive mark and could go even better if not taking a keen lead.
Champion Novice Hurdle Betting tip and preview
Sir Gerhard at 8/11
Sir Gerhard and Rachael Blackmore winning in day two of the Cheltenham Festival ahead of Kilcruit
It's difficult to look past this Cheveley Park Stud horse to go for a four-timer, especially after that winning run in the Ballymore last time out.
Sir Gerhard has raced over Punchestown once before in a flat race in the festival last year and has since taken over as one to look out for in the paddock as he has a tonne of potential.
The only concern today could come from Dysart Dynamo, who was galloping alongside Constitution Hill before falling in the opener of the Cheltenham Festival in the Supreme.
His jumping wasn't fluent that day and if he's sharper today could pose a real threat to the bookies' odds-on favourite.
But the booking of Paul Townend on board ahead of the stablemate could be a clear sign of who the jockeys think should win this.
Champion Chase betting tips and preview
Energumene at 8/11
Former jockey, Katie Walsh said in her Betway blog: "Energumene sluiced up in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham last time. Obviously, Shishkin pulled up early and he pretty much had things his own way from the start of the race, but I think he's very good and as long as he isn't over the top as he'd had a few hard races this year, then he's the one to beat."
Chacun Pour Soi, another Mullins duo battling it out, but based on Energumene's performances against Shishkin and coming close, makes him tough to beat.
In the colours of Rich Ricci, Chacun is also an incredible two-miler and won this race last year by over five lengths to Allaho with Townend on board and clearly gets the best out of him but he saddles Energumene this time.
Energumene in the blue silks was overtaken in the final stretch by Shishkin in January in the Clarence House Chase
Champion Novice Chase Betting Tip and Preview
Capodanno at 4/1
This could be the horse to buck the trend of big favourites winning today and if it does happen it will come down to liking this trip more.
Walsh speaking for Betway added: "I'm sure Capodanno has a good one in him. I thought he ran well behind Bob Olinger on his penultimate start and we all know that Bob Olinger wasn't going to win at Cheltenham and in all honesty, he wasn't even running very well. Capodanno definitely stays 3m, too."
Over 3m and half a furlong, Capodanno is well-versed and like the favourite, with Rachael Blackmore on board, has won at Punchestown previously.
But this will be the first time the Henry De Bromhead star has taken on anything further than 2m 5f.
He does have the bonus of being lightly raced this year and they're clearly taking the time to let this novice chaser arrive fresh.
But the win last time out was all due to the clear leader, Galopin Des Champs, falling at the last in the Turners Novices Chase at Cheltenham.
Capodanno was just under five lengths behind Bob at Punchestown in January and then contested the Grade 1 behind L'Homme Presse in testing conditions and could find this the ideal race.
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