2.30 Donohue Marquees Cross Country Chase 3m 90yds

Coko Beach, third in the La Touche Cup earlier in the week, could be hard to beat if reappearing here over this shorter trip. Gordon Elliott’s gelding, who has some very smart handicap form to his name, made a smooth transition to cross country races when winning over course and distance back in February. The form of his earlier win in the Troytown Chase has also been boosted by the runner-up subsequently.

Foxy Jacks is also proven at this discipline having won at Cheltenham in November. Having missed the Festival and only having two races this year, he arrives here a fresher horse than most. Trainer Mouse Morris is sure to have had this race in mind for some time. Singing Banjo showed he still has plenty of spark in him at the age of 14 when winning the La Touche on Thursday. A reproduction of that effort will put him right in the picture again.

SELECTION: COKO BEACH

Next best: Foxy Jacks

3.05 Colm Quinn BMW

Handicap Chase 3m 7f 68yds

Peaches And Cream, winner of this race in 2022, should make a bold bid to add another festival success. The Gavin Cromwell-trained nine-year-old was staying on strongly when falling at the last in the Ulster National on his latest outing. Given that he would almost certainly have been involved in the finish, the gelding could prove to be well handicapped off 131 now.

Last year’s third, History Of Fashion, can usually be relied on to run his race in these marathon contests. Pat Fahy’s charge couldn’t be in much better form coming into the festival as he kept on strongly for an honourable fifth in the Irish Grand National last month.

SELECTION: PEACHES AND CREAM

Next best: History Of Fashion

4.15 Palmerstown House

Estate Pat Taaffe Handicap Chase (Listed Race) 3m 104yds

Runner-up a year ago, the Gordon Elliott trained Ballykeel is likely to have been aimed at a repeat bid for some time. The eight-year-old subsequently won at Perth over the summer but has been absent since finishing third at Killarney in August. Arriving here fresher than most at this late stage of the season, the Brendan Scully-owned gelding holds leading claims.

Blackjack Magic is a definite threat for visiting trainer Anthony Honeyball. The latter has been among the winners at this festival in recent years so the presence of the Black Sam Bellamy gelding is unlikely to be just an afterthought. On the form of his Badger Beer Chase win, the nine-year-old has every chance of plundering this prize.

SELECTION: BALLYKEEL

Next best: Blackjack Magic

5.25 SBK Gold Trophy

Handicap Hurdle (Listed Race) 2m 4f 118yds

Waterford Whispers, who saw the form of his Cheltenham second franked by the winner in mid week, can score for Henry de Bromhead. Sent off a well-supported favourite at the Festival, he was unlucky to bump into a subsequent blacktype horse, Better Days Ahead. The J.P. McManus-owned six-year-old gives the impression of being a graded performer masquerading as a handicapper.

Similar comments apply to Olympic Man. The Willie Mullins-trained gelding quickened up smartly to lead at the last at Fairyhouse last month but probably just idled on the run-in before being nabbed close home. He is almost certainly better than a mark of 137.

SELECTION: WATERFORD WHISPERS

Next best: Olympic Man

6.00 Lawlor’s Of Naas Bumper 2m

Willie Mullins can take the final race of what has been a record-breaking season with Chart Topper. A full-brother to a mare who achieved blacktype for the stable, the five-year-old is likely to have been kept for this meeting. Given the strength in depth at Closutton, particularly in this division, one would expect Mullins to want to end the campaign on a high.

Point-to-point winner Will The Wise appears to hold strong claims for trainer Gavin Cromwell. Impressive on his sole start between the flags, the five-year-old is a half-brother to a blacktype mare.

SELECTION: CHART TOPPER

Next best: Will The Wise