Five trainers likely to be punters' pals at the Punchestown festival

The Punchestown festival, which starts on Tuesday, is five days of top-class racing, comprising of 39 races including 12 Grade 1 contests. So who does it pay to follow over the course of the meeting?

Willie Mullins

Put simply, at Punchestown Willie Mullins is the man. He has been leading trainer at the meeting for the last eight seasons, and last year he was dominant with 18 winners.

Although he will be without Faugheen this year, the signs are Mullins will have a huge team again for the festival, with stars including Min, Douvan and Al Boum Photo all in line to run.

Once again, he will be the man to beat.

Gordon Elliott

Although Willie Mullins does not leave much for the other trainers to fight over at the meeting, Elliott has managed to bag 13 winners at the last three festivals, enough for second place in the trainers' table each time.

Commander Of Fleet was a winner last year for the yard and could be back again, while RSA third Delta Work has a leading chance in the Champion Novice Chase.

Like Mullins, Elliott is in line to have an armada of runners at the five-day fixture and will no doubt find the winner's enclosure.

Jessica Harrington and Robbie Power will be hoping that these scenes after Sizing John's Gold Cup victory in 2017 can be repeated next MarchCredit: Patrick McCann

Jessica Harrington

Although unable to boast the numerical firepower of Mullins and Elliott, Harrington has done very well with those she has taken into battle.

She has had a Grade 1 winner at Punchestown for six consecutive years, the most recent of which was Supasundae in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle.

Jezki is a serial winner at the meeting for the yard could have another big run in him.

Colin Tizzard

In 2017 Tizzard rode the crest of a wave to Punchestown after a highly successful Grand National meeting at Aintree. He left Punchestown with three winners and could attempt to repeat the feat this year.

Reserve Tank was a Grade 1 winner at Aintree and has been entered for Friday's Champion Novice Hurdle, while Sizing Granite, a previous winner at the meeting, and Vision De Flos also hold entries over the five days.

Enda Bolger: sent out Blue Templar to win the opener at Punchestown on Tuesday eveningCredit: Patrick McCann

Enda Bolger

The master of Punchestown's Banks Course, Bolger has won the La Touche Cup 14 times, and the Ladies Perpetual Cup six times in the last ten years.

Bolger's raison d'etre is producing horses capable of handling the challenges of a cross-country course and he has three entries apiece for the Punchestown races this year. More success in either would not be a surprise.

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