Punchestown festival - day one

Ireland´s most important N.H. meeting, the Punchestown festival. starts today and continues through Saturday with 5 days of top class jumps racing. Today´s card features 3 Grade One races, the Champion Novice Hurdle over 2 miles at 16.05 CET, the Kerrygold Champion Chase over 2 miles at 16.40 and the Champion Novice Chase over 3 miles 1 furlong at 17.50. The Kerrygold field inclues several horses that ran in the Chamion Chase at Cheltenham las month, including front-runner Fair Along (3rd), Schindlers Hunt (4th), Newmill (5th), the 2006 winner here, and Twist Magic (6th). Despite that result, it is quite likely that Twist Magic, representing the powerful Paul Nicholls/ Ruby Walsh combination, can come out on top here. Last year´s winner Mansony is another possible in a fascinating race. Ruby Walsh partners Cheltenham winner Fiveforthree for Willie Mullins in the novice hurdle, but he may not be suited by today´s shorter trip. Noel Meade´s Jered, an easy winner winner last time out from Made in Taipan, whom he meets on the same terms, looks more likely, though it will be no surprise if Jessica Harrington´s Cork All Star comes back to form after some disappointing performances. Mullins and Walsh team up again with Pomme Tiepy in the novice chase; the French-bred mare won four times running before falling at Cheltenham and can make amends here, although the German-bred Air Force One, fifth in that Cheltenham race, could prove dangerous. A son of Lando, he will be suited by the better ground today.