Punchestown Festival Day 4 Tips: All Friday's best bets here

An eight-race card will take place on day four of the Punchestown Festival with the Punchestown Champion Hurdle the obvious showpiece event as State Man aims to land the prize. Our man Steve Chambers has taken a look at Friday's action across the Irish Sea and picks out his best bets on the card...

Willie Mullins will unleash a strong battalion in a fascinating novice handicap chase at 16:15 with the likes of Kilcruit, Authorized Art and ADAMANTLY CHOSEN all bidding for victory and it's the latter of that Closutton triumvirate that can storm to glory here in what should be a superb betting heat for punters on Friday.

A Grade 3-winning novice chaser at the track back in October, Adamantly Chosen has been handed some stiff assignments in recent times, but this should be a lot easier despite him having top weight. Second in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Novice Chase at Leopardstown in February, he was then handed the tough ask of the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham, where he finished seventh. Sixth on his last start in a top notch event at Fairyhouse a few weeks ago, Adamantly Chosen will enjoy a step back into calmer waters and the 2m 5f trip should see him at his best.

So Scottish and Life In The Park could be two alternatives from other stables that could challenge for glory, but Adamantly Chosen is a class act and he can bound to glory here for the dominant Mullins team.

Impervious and Allegorie De Vassy served up a sparkling finish to the Mares' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last month and the pair dominate the betting for the 16:50 at Punchestown on Friday. It's hard to look away from Impervious, who quickened impressively that day, but the pair are very short in the betting and there could be value elsewhere.

You certainly know when backing RIVIERE D'ETEL that jumping is her problem and she showed when crashing out in the aforementioned Mares' Chase that she has plenty of issues getting over the larger obstacles, but Gordon Elliott's mare is a real class act and the double figured odds available are worth taking note of. A former Graded chase winner at Punchestown, she was travelling extremely well at Cheltenham before falling, so if she can just brush up on her jumping then she could well put it up to the two market leaders and she's worth taking a chance on.

A race won by subsequent Grade 1 winner El Fabiolo last season, the SalesSense International Novice Hurdle has attracted another exciting line-up and some have huge potential. New French recruit Sa Majeste is an eye-catcher for Willie Mullins, while Monbeg Park was first past the post last time out at Fairyhouse (demoted to 2nd) and has been on an upward curve.

Gordon Elliott will saddle FIRM FOOTINGS, who looks an intriguing runner as he put up a career best when finishing a fine sixth in the Martin Pipe at last month's Cheltenham Festival and that experience should give him a big boost for this event. He will need to improve again to land this prize, but he has shown to be smart over timber and while others may be better performers next year, the Cullentra House inmate can sparkle here and land this prize with aplomb.