3.40 Stanley Asphalt Hunters Chase for the Bishopscourt Cup 2m5f

Eight of the 11 runners were pulled up or unseated in their last start so that’s not inspiring for their hopes.

Of those, Jigginstown King is the most unexposed for last year’s winning trainer, John ‘Shark’ Hanlon, with just one start under his belt so there may be more to come from the five-year-old under Rob James.

This looks like a duel between 2018 winner Alpha Male and An Droichead Gorm though, with the former also second in this last year, and Peter Maher’s 11-year-old is respected under Barry O’Neill despite going winless in his last 12 starts.

An Droichead Gorm has raced just 14 times and looks to have gotten the hang of things for Stephen Carey with a fine second at Wexford last June before finally getting off the mark at Monksgrange point-to-point last month.

There is very little between the pair but the younger An Droichead Gorm is preferred.

Verdict: An Droichead Gorm can score under Neil Bashford.

4.15 Grade A EMS Copiers Novice Handicap Chase 2m5f

The last three winners – Asterion Forlonge, Real Steel and Kemboy – all had a touch of class with top-weight no burden for the well-supported Willie Mullins trio.

Blue Sari (11-12) shoulders that burden this time around but the seven-year-old doesn’t look to be in the same league, with stablemate Fighter Allen (11-4) the talking horse under Paul Townend on his handicap chase debut.

Mullins has been the man to follow with five of the last eight winners so last year’s Festival scorer, El Barra (11-0), is also respected while Enda Bolger’s Birchdale (11-1) hasn’t been seen since landing a good pot at the Dublin Racing Festival and rates a danger.

So does the Emmet Mullins-trained Rightplacerightime (10-3), but this may go the way of Joseph O’Brien’s Busselton (10-12). His sole mission at Cheltenham was to stay on his feet and collect some prize money and he did that when claiming the €50,000 up for grabs behind Bob Olinger.

He is of serious interest on his handicap chase debut. Considering he is just five, O’Brien’s charge has a lot of experience over fences, with three wins from nine starts, and JJ Slevin’s mount may be the one to defeat Mullins.

Verdict: Busselton can land another big pot for Slevin.

4.50 Grade Two Hanlon Concrete Irish EBF Glencarraig Lady Francis Flood Mares Chase 2m5f

Cheltenham acquaintances are renewed between O’Brien’s Scarlet And Dove and Mullins’ Elimay after the latter got the better of an epic battle in the Mares’ Chase.

Elimay never looked to be travelling with her usual verve, but still got the job done under Mark Walsh and it should be between that pair again with the eight-year-old, a smart winner here at the 2019 Festival, taken to land her hat-trick at short odds.

Mullins’ second-string Dolcita is getting the hang of things, as her gutsy Listed win at Fairyhouse last time out illustrated, but she should be a bit off the market leaders, with Elimay the class act.

Verdict: Elimay can confirm her superiority under Walsh.

5.25 Grade One Paddy Power Champion Hurdle 2m

Honeysuckle is getting wiser with age and just does enough nowadays, with her second Cheltenham Champion Hurdle success completed with ruthless efficiency under Rachael Blackmore.

She is miles clear of the chasing pack on official ratings and it’s hard to see where her potential conqueror would come from, with Saint Roi without a win in just over 18 months despite creditable efforts in defeat behind Honeysuckle on his last two starts.

Mullins’ seven-year-old was fourth in the Champion Hurdle with David Pipe’s Adagio eighth on that occasion and in chase of a juicy £100,000 bonus put up for a British winner by the race sponsors.

Mullins’ Echoes In Rain has not scored since this Festival 12 months ago, while the Gordon Elliott-trained Teahupoo came home last in the Champion Hurdle. But the five-year-old has potential on the back of his Red Mills Trial Hurdle romp at Gowran Park.

The quick going may not suit him, however, and O’Brien’s Darasso may be the most likely to chase Honeysuckle home. with the nine-year-old better than ever this season after a comfortable Grade Two success at Fairyhouse 11 days ago.

Verdict: The brilliant Honeysuckle can lead home Darasso.

6.0 Grade One Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle 2m3f80yds

Mullins has again landed five of the last eight renewals, four successes via odds-on favourites, and State Man will be similarly short after an impressive display when defying inexperience to land the County Hurdle at Cheltenham.

That was just his third start over hurdles and there is no doubt that the five-year-old is held in high regard at Closutton as he steps up to Grade One company for the first time, with the sky potentially the limit under Townend.

He won’t have it all his own way, though, with Gordon Elliott’s Three Stripe Life an old hand at this level after three seconds at the highest level before breaking his Grade One duck at Aintree.

Mullins also saddles last year’s Punchestown Champion Bumper winner, Kilcruit, but Patrick Mullins’ mount hasn’t progressed over hurdles and was beaten over 24 lengths by Constitution Hill when third in the Supreme.

The Pat Doyle-trained Flame Bearer has been a revelation and bids for a four-timer under the trainer’s son Jack, having landed a pair of Grade Twos, but the teak tough Three Stripe Life is preferred at the prices under Davy Russell.

Verdict: Three Stripe Life may prove a tough to crack.

6.35 Champion Hunters Chase 3m

Patrick Mullins had to throw the kitchen sink at Billaway to get him up on the line in the Hunters’ Chase at Cheltenham last month and the pair bid for the Festival double, having been just touched off here 12 months ago.

There may be more to come from the 10-year-old with no opposition from across the Irish Sea making his task easier, although the David Christie-trained Vaucelet does look set to throw down the gauntlet.

The improving seven-year-old was better than ever when winning a hunter chase at Fairyhouse two weeks ago and commands respect under O’Neill while Dorking Cock could be the surprise package.

Stuart Crawford’s charge landed a hunters’ chase at Down Royal before following up in an Oldcastle point-to-point 11 days ago, but that still looks some way off what’s needed to crack Billaway.

Verdict: Billaway can complete the Festival double.

7.10 SalesSense International Novice Hurdle 2m

This looks like a Mullins benefit with the champion trainer saddling the top four in the market as he chases his seventh win in nine runnings.

El Fabiolo ran a corker when a neck second to Jonbon in an Aintree Grade One three weeks ago and that sets the standard here. Townend’s mount has lots of scope on just his third hurdles’ start and will take some beating providing that effort hasn’t left its mark.

Stablemate Ha D’or pushed Flame Bearer all the way in a Grade Two last time out and that form could be franked earlier in the card so Danny Mullins’ mount is of big interest, as is Bring On The Night.

Bryan Cooper’s mount was a fine fourth in the Supreme on just his second start for Mullins and it would hardly be a surprise if something outside of El Fabiolo prevailed such is the strength of Mullins’ team with Ha D’or the value choice.

Oliver McKiernan has had an outstanding week and course and distance winner Supreme Jet is not totally discounted under Barry Browne.

Verdict: Ha D’or can edge an intriguing renewal for Mullins.

7.45 Avison Young INH Flat Race (5-7yo) 2m2f

Don Chalant was just touched off at Navan last month and Patrick Mullins has kept faith with the six-year-old as he bids to get off the mark at the fourth time of asking.

Stablemate O’Moore Park was a £240,000 purchase last December, but was comprehensively defeated on his Closutton debut in February while Harry Fry’s racecourse debutant Great Name That is respected after a point-to-point success in January.

Martin Brassil won this three years ago and Golden Wonder’s is a promising type based on his second in a Leopardstown bumper, but Don Chalant can finally get his head in front in the 25-runner finale.

Verdict: Don Chalant can score for Team Mullins.