The €300,000 Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle is the feature on day three of the Punchestown Festival and Teahupoo bids to land this Grade 1 prize for a third successive year.

The Gordon Elliott-trained gelding added further top level wins this season in the Hatton’s Grace at Fairyhouse and the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown before proving a shade disappointing when sixth at Cheltenham last month.

The nine-year-old is now fitted with blinkers for the first time and renews rivalry with Bob Olinger who is also owned by Brian Acheson’s Robcour.

Bob Olinger belied his 11 years when a highly creditable third to Home By The Lee last month in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle while Honesty Policy, Jimmy Du Seuil and Kawaboomga add further spice to this three-mile stamina test which goes to post at 6.05pm.

The Barberstown Castle Novice Chase (5.25) is the other Grade 1 event on this eight-race card and Kopek Des Bordes looks sure to go off at short odds against four rivals.

The Mongey Communications La Touche Cup Cross Country Chase (3.40) is one of the great spectacles of the Punchestown Festival and the longest race on the Irish racing calendar at 4m1f.

Busselton and Desertmore House filled the first two places last year and are back again while Vanillier is another proven over the challenging banks.

The going remains yielding on both the hurdle and chase tracks following watering overnight and this morning, while the cross country track is good to yielding (yielding in places).

Clerk of the Course Brendan Sheridan said, “Met Eireann told us this morning that the forecast is mainly dry with the possibility of showers, 3mm to 5mm, from 4pm onwards. It is a bit uncertain and could be less or more.

“Tomorrow’s forecast is mainly dry and Saturday also.

“We have seven yards of fresh ground on the hurdle track today and six yards of fresh ground on the chase track.”

The action gets underway at 2.30pm.