Monkfish vs Envoi Allen on day one of Punchestown Festival – who will win?

PUNCHESTOWN Festival will bring the curtain down on a stunning season of jumps racing in ultimate style.

And there is an absolute cracker to get us underway on day one.

The Champion Novice Chase will pit Cheltenham Festival hero Monkfish against Cheltenham Festival flop Envoi Allen.

Read on below for the full day one racecard.

When is the Punchestown Festival?

The action gets underway on Tuesday, April 27.

The festival lasts five days and finishes on Saturday, May 1.

Punchestown Festival day one racecard

• 3.40pm The Have The Conversation Say Yes To Organ Donation Novice Handicap Hurdle of €20,000 2 Miles 100 Yards

• 4.15pm The eCOMM Merchant Solutions Champion Novice Hurdle of €100,000 (Grade 1) 2 Miles 100 Yards

• 4.50pm The Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle of €50,000 (Grade B) 2 Miles 100 Yards

• 5.25pm The William Hill Champion Steeplechase (registered the Drogheda) of €250,000 (Grade 1) 2 Miles

• 5.55pm The Goffs Land Rover Bumper of €100,000 2 Miles 100 Yards – Race Closed

• 6.30pm The Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Steeplechase of €100,000 (Grade 1) 3 Miles 120 Yards

• 7pm The Kildare Hunt Club Fr. Sean Breen Memorial Cross Country Steeplechase for the Ladies Perpetual Cup of €15,000 (Bank Course) 3 Miles 1 Furlong

• 7.35pm The Irish Field – We Are All About The Horse Flat Race of €15,000 2 Miles 100 Yards

Punchestown Festival day one tips

SunSport tipster Templegate has delivered his tips for day one – read them here.

And SunSport’s Matt Chapman has had his say on who wins in the almighty clash between Monkfish and Envoi Allen – do you agree?

Punchestown Festival day one runners

You can see the full list of runners in our dedicated racecard section.

Click here to view.

What’s the big race?

Monkfish vs Envoi Allen in the Champion Chase.

Willie Mullins’ superstar horse Monkfish arrives here on the back on a convincing win in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham.

But Henry de Bromhead’s Envoi Allen comes with question marks over his name after he fell at the festival.

The Cheveley Park Stud horse – who had previously never lost – came a cropper in the Marsh Novices’ Chase won by Chantry House.

Monkfish is currently the favourite to win at 11-10, while Envoi Allen is 5-4.

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