Small but beautiful - Jonathan Harding looks forward to a blockbuster Gold Cup on day two at Punchestown

What’s the big story?

It has to be the eagerly anticipated rematch between two heavyweight staying chasers in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup (5.30).

In the red corner, we have Galopin Des Champs, who was denied a third successive Gold Cup when put firmly in his place by Inothewayurthinkin at Cheltenham. He bids to win his first Punchestown Gold Cup, having finished runner-up behind Fastorslow for the last two seasons.

In the blue corner, we have Spillane's Tower, who is also on something of a redemption mission after a disappointing fifth when favourite for the King George last time. Before that he produced a career-best performance when runner-up to Fact To File in the John Durkan, with Galopin Des Champs back in third.

Add into the mix King George winner Banbridge and Gold Cup fourth Monty's Star and despite a small field, it has the makings of a blockbuster.

What about the other Grade 1s?

Willie Mullins has a typically strong hand in the other two Grade 1s with Cheltenham Festival winners Jasmin De Vaux and Bambino Fever.

Albert Bartlett winner Jasmin De Vaux should take all the beating in the Channor Real Estate Group Novice Hurdle (4.15), in which he will be bidding to give Mullins a fifth win in a row. His chief rival is the JP McManus-owned Honesty Policy, who steps up in trip after winning the Grade 1 Mersey Novices' Hurdle.

Bambino Fever and Jody Townend land the Champion Bumper

Bambino Fever and Jody Townend will bid for a Cheltenham-Punchestown Grade 1 bumper doubleCredit: Patrick McCann

In the following Race & Stay At Punchestown Champion INH Flat Race (4.50), Bambino Fever bids to emulate the likes of A Dream To Share and Facile Vega by completing the Champion Bumper double under Jody Townend, something Jasmin De Vaux failed to accomplish last season.

She faces up to six rivals, including Grade 2 winner Colcannon, stablemate Copacabana, the mount of Patrick Mullins, and Kalypso'chance, who is of interest at a bigger price. He is surely better than he was able to show after being well backed and sent off favourite for the Champion Bumper.

Give us your best bet of the day

Away from the Graded races and sticking to the Mullins theme, I like the chances of Got Glory in Punchestown's Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Hurdle (3.40). She has not had the rub of the green this season but looked as though she was going to win before falling at Clonmel when last seen in January.

She has failed to complete on her last three starts, but clearly has ability having been thrown into a Grade 1 on her debut. Last season she was a good winner of a maiden hurdle at Naas before being narrowly denied when second in a Listed contest here.