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A match between Cheltenham Festival winners Marine Nationale and Fact To File promises to be the highlight on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival.
They are among six runners declared for the Grade 1 William Hill Champion Chase over two miles.
Marine Nationale won the Champion Chase at Cheltenham was almost 20 lengths, while Fact To File won the Ryanair Chase by almost 10 lengths.
Owned and trained by Barry Connell, Marine Nationale will be at home over Tuesday's two-mile trip, while it will be a significant step down in distance for Fact To File, trained by Willie Mullins for J.P. McManus.
However, Fact To File did win the Grade 1 Durkan Chase at Punchestown over two and half miles last November. Marine Nationale has also won his only two previous starts at Punchestown, one in a bumper and one over hurdles.
Bookmakers make Fact To File the 5/6 favourite. Marine Nationale is a general 7/4 chance.
The quartet taking them on are, in market order, El Fabiolo (8/1), Solness (10/1), Captain Guinness (20/1) and Senecia (50/1).
Mullins bankers
The other two Grade 1 races on Tuesday's card are at the mercy of trainer Willie Mullins.
Cheltenham winner Kopek Des Bordes is a 2/5 shot to win the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle over two miles. Stable companions Salvator Mundi (10/3) and Irancy (7/1) are next in the betting, in a race in which Mullins has four of the six runners.
It's a similar story in the Grade 1 Dooley Insurance Champion Novice Chase over an extended three miles. Mullins is responsible for the first three in the market again - Ballyburn (11/8), Lecky Watson (9/4) and Impaire Et Passe (5/1).
The champion trainer also saddles Ile Atlantique and Champ Kiely, giving his five runners in the nine-runner field.
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