'He may be too strong' - Alan Sweetman with three tips for Punchestown

That race was won by Gerri Colombe, who stretched his unbeaten record to six (seven if his point-to-point win is included) by landing the Grade 1 novice chase at Limerick at the beginning of the week, while the runner-up spot went to Bronn, a Grade 2 winner over hurdles at Fairyhouse last Easter.

Shantreusse looked a chasing type in winning two of his four starts over hurdles last season and appeared particularly well suited by a test of stamina and heavy ground when taking a 3m Grade 3 contest at Clonmel in February.

He wasn't able to make an impact in the Albert Bartlett, but his overall profile is appealing enough to suggest he may be too strong for the 131-rated Porterstown Chase runner-up Fakeira.

Friendly Star
12.47 Punchestown
1pt win

An experienced chaser in his native France, Friendly Star looks good enough to win a handicap off his current mark if he can put in a tidier round of jumping than at Fairyhouse this month.

Adaptable enough to win a cross-country chase in France and to run well over hurdles at Galway in October on his first start for Tony Martin, he looked like a possible future handicap chase winner when third over a slightly shorter trip at this venue in November.

The winner Farceur Du Large and runner-up Take All both fared respectably when raised in class in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown on Tuesday.

Captain Conby
2.32 Punchestown
2pts win

Kilkenny trainer Dusty Sheehy has had to make do with modest raw material since the days when he enjoyed top-level success with horses of the calibre of Rathgar Beau, Justified and Trafford Lad.

Captain Conby, Grade 3-placed as a novice hurdler last season, is the best horse he has had for some time. He was running a big race as an 80-1 outsider when falling at the second-last in an Aintree Grade 1 event won by the ill-fated Three Stripe Life.

The five-year-old looks capable of taking the Grade B handicap hurdle on his third outing of the season. Significantly, the form of his third place in the Pertemps qualifier at this venue last month was boosted by the winner Shewearsitwell, who landed a Grade 3 contest at Leopardstown on Thursday.