We take a look at this week's horse racing.
The old National Hunt season may be drawing to a close but at Punchestown and Sandown there is still plenty of top quality jumps action to look forward to over the next seven days, along with some informative Classic trials on the flat. Live-horse racing previews the week's racing.
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Sunday April 18
Leopardstown
4:10 P W McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes
A twelve-furlong Group Three event that has an excellent record for throwing up future Group One candidates. Four of the eight entrants hold Derby entries
Tuesday April 20
Punchestown
4:20 Evening Herald Champion Novice Hurdle
The Punchestown Festival is one of the highlights on the racing calendar. This cracking event is the first of four Graded contests on the opening day and should feature some of the beset novices from either side of the Irish Sea.
6:05 Boylesports.com Champion Chase
This two mile event is the Irish equivalent of the Queen Mother Champion Chase and has been won by some fine horses including Moscow Flyer and Master Minded.
6:40 Growise Champion Novice Chase
The Punchestown equivalent of the Royal and Sun Alliance Chase, this Grade One is an opportunity for stamina laden novices to show what they can do.
Wednesday April 21
Epsom
3:30 Investec Derby Trial
The welcome return of racing to Epsom features this Derby trial that doesn't have a great record of producing contenders for the big one, but is at least a chance to see whether one or two potential Classic types can handle the Epsom gradients.
4:05 Investec Property Investments City and Suburban Stakes
This grand old race dates back to 1851 and whilst it may not have the same cachet these days, it is a competitive handicap and offers plenty of form for punters to get their teeth into.
Punchestown
5:30 Punchestown Guiness Gold Cup
The Festival's feature race, this year's renewal features a host of familiar staying chasers from Ireland but Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Denman will be a short price to claim this three-mile-and-one-furlong event.
6:05 Paddy Power Champion INH Flat Race
It may be the best bumper in Ireland, but as ever in these types of races, you should tread carefully in what can be a real headscratcher and punters are advised to keep an eye on the Betfair market.
Thursday April 22
Punchestown
5:30 Ladbrokes.com World Series Hurdle
The Irish equivalent of the World Hurdle may not have attracted Cheltenham hero Big Buck's, but several of the horses he beat including Karabak, Powerstation, Oscar Dan Dan and War of Attrition will be involved.
6:40 Ryanair Novice Chase
A two mile event for the speedier novices, this could feature the likes of Osana, Riverside Theatre and Captain Cee Bee, all of whom featured in the Arkle at Cheltenham last month.
Friday April 23
Sandown
1:45 bet365 Classic Trial
A ten-furlong Group Three event that hasn't thrown up an Epsom champion since Benny The Dip in 1997 but it can still turn up a decent animal. Pick of the entries is probably Waseet, runner up in the Royal Lodge Stakes last year.
Punchestown
5:30 Rabobank Champion Hurdle
This year's Champion Hurdle is shaping up to be a very strong renewal with some high quality hurdlers entered including Dunguib, Quevega, Solwhit, Hurricane Fly and Starluck.
6:05 Cathal Ryan Memorial Champion Novice Hurdle
This two-and-a-half mile contest is the equivalent of Cheltenham's Ballymore Properties Hurdle and is an opportunity for some staying youngsters.
Saturday April 24
Sandown
2:35 bet365.com Celebration Chase
A failry new Graded contest that has quickly become a popular part of the National Hunt Calendar. It is a two-mile event that usually attracts a select field featuring ome of the better chasers around.
3:10 bet365 Gold Cup Chase
Despite often being run on decent going, this end of season Group Three handicap is a stamina sapping affair over three miles and five furlongs with a big field tackling the stiff Sandown fences.
3:45 bet365 Mile
This Group Two often provides a decent contest as horses battle up the rising ground at the end of a galloping mile. Field sizes can vary but it is usually won by a high class candidate from one of the top stables.
4:15 bet365 Gordon Richards Stakes
A Group Three run over ten furlongs, that may be low on numbers, but is invariably high on quality and there is plenty of top class form to scrutinise amongst the records of these older horses.