Punchestown Festival Tips - Every race covered on Champion Stayers day

The middle day of racing at the Punchestown Festival is headlined by the Champion Stayers' Hurdle. Viewers also have the pleasure of watching Energumene strutt his stuff in the Champion Novices' Chase.

Let's jump straight into our day three tips at Punchestown.

This looks an excellent opportunity for FIVE HELMETS to seal a late-season hat-trick. 

After four lengthy defeats during the first half of the season, Gavin Cromwell's five-year-old opened his account in a maiden at Fairyhouse last month. Five Helmets would probably have won that race by a significant distance had it not been for two terrible jumps at the final two flights. He did well to win in the end, such was the severity of those mistakes.

Jonathan Moore's mount jumped much better at Navan last time out, hitting the line hard as he sealed a five-length success. Five Helmets remains open to improvement, and I doubt top-weight will be enough to stop him challenging.

I really fancy the chances of British raider, SULLY D'OC AA here. I was all over Anthony Honeyball's charge ahead of the Red Rum Handicap at Aintree last month. A couple of fiddly mistakes hampered his challenge that day, but Sully D'Oc fair flew home after the last, eventually going down by just a length.

All of his runs this season have come on decent ground, and Sully D'Oc's only win this term came going right-handed at Ascot. Simon Torrens' claimer reduces Sully D'Oc's burden to just 10-9, and he should be very competitive off his current mark. 

SOME NECK returns to Irish soil, having won a handicap on the Cross Country at Cheltenham in December, before finishing third behind Tiger Roll and Easysland at the Festival in March.

During his days with Willie Mullins, Some Neck won the Grade Two Florida Pearl Novices' Chase here at Punchestown, and he's got valuable experience around this tricky banks course, having finished third on his Hunter Chase debut here in November. Ben Harvey gets on with Some Neck really well, and he takes a valuable seven pounds off the market leader's back.

Read our guide to the 2021 Champion Stayers Hurdle to see who we think will win the feature race on Friday.

If you plan on watching the racing via your mobile or tablet, then check out our Champion Stayers Hurdle Live Streaming page.

This really is a very tricky puzzle to try and solve. You could make a case for at least half of the 25-horse field. I might have a punt on RHYTHM DEVINE, who won well at Fairyhouse the time before last, and had excuses when upped to Grade One company. She appeals each-way, but it really will be a very small bet.

I don't see any reason to look past ENERGUMENE, who's looked superb over fences this season. People will worry about the ground, but this sort of surface isn't alien to Willie Mullins' seven-year-old, and I expect he'll deal with it just fine.

Magic Daze ran a stormer to place second at Cheltenham, considering she was very keen on the front-end throughout the race. GAULOISE was well beaten off that day and has to give the favourite three pounds. Yet, I fancy the conditions of this race will really suit Willie Mullins' mare.

Gauloise was the short-priced favourite for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle following an impressive Listed win at Thurles in the autumn. Paul Townend's mount then couldn't muster a finishing kick on heavy ground behind Rosey's Hollow, and Gauloise was barely mentioned as she finished 11th of 15 at the Cheltenham Festival.

In the Grade One at Fairyhouse earlier this month, Gauloise moved menacingly into contention and was the last to come off the bridle. However, over two-and-a-half-miles, Townend's mount didn't really pick up in the closing stages, and a tired jump at the last allowed Skyace to hold on and claim a famous win.

Back over two miles, on fast ground which will definitely suit, I think Gauloise can carry a penalty to victory here.

Patrick Mullins and Jamie Codd may feel they have this between them, but I'm going to put my trust in Ben Harvey for the second time today and have a bet on BARDENSTOWN LAD.

John McConnell's six-year-old ran up to an RPR of 88 when winning a point-to-point in November. On his first start under rules, Harvey's mount bolted up at Tipperary, beating an experienced rival in Clay Rogers by 15-lengths. If he can build on that debut outing, then Bardenstown Lad has to be in with a shout.