Punchestown stages an eight-race card on Saturday with the Grade 1 Morgiana Hurdle the obvious highlight.

There’s some strong supporting action to look forward to as well, namely the Grade 2 Florida Pearl Novice Chase. Below, we’ve outlined our four best bests on the card.

11.30 Punchestown - Quinto Do Laga

With so little form to go on, there’s plenty of guesswork required in this juvenile maiden, but Jessica Harrington’s QUINTA DO LAGA avoids a penalty for his ready win in an academy hurdle over an extended 2m1f at Cork last month and must surely go well.

The selection, a half-brother to a French Flat middle-distance Listed winner, was up front throughout under Donna Meyler and found plenty in the straight despite showing signs of greenness, while he was already on top when his nearest pursuer blundered badly at the last.

That experience won’t have gone unnoticed and, whilst he doesn’t set an unassailable level, he’s entitled to have learnt plenty from that introduction and will surely be bang there if handling this testing ground.

12.32 Punchestown — Kitzbuhel

It’s slightly surprising that Willie Mullins has decided to send KITZBUHEL chasing following a highly promising first season over hurdles, but the yard has already struck in novice chases with the lightly raced Final Demand and Kopek De Bordes this week and he could take some stopping if running to anything like his hurdles mark of 153.

A winner on his second start over hurdles on heavy ground at Fontainebleau in November 2023, Kitzbuhel went close at Autueil next time and made an impressive start for Mullins over 2m1f here last December, making all to beat the now 146-rated Colonel Mustard, who won a Grade 2 at Navan only this week.

The selection followed up with a win in a Grade 3 at Gowran subsequently and ran a solid race when upped to 3m to finish fifth in the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle..

He was also unfortunate not to land the Grade 2 Select Hurdle at Sandown in April, having lost out in some scrimmaging on the run to the second-last.

13.05 Punchestown - Rockys Diamond

Delcan Queally’s ROCKY’S DIAMOND may have been beaten in a Listed race at Wexford last month, but it was a solid performance all the same and only 6lb off his hurdles best according to Racing Post Ratings.

The five-year-old remains relatively lightly raced, having had only had 10 starts under rules, winning four of those, including the Grade 2 Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran in January.

Versatile in terms of tactics, he looked a natural over fences when making all on his chase debut over 2m2f at Galway in September, while he was only collared close to home by the 147-rated Blizzard Of Oz over 2m7f at Wexford when last seen.

He sets the standard in this field and he ought to be suited by the testing conditions.

14.10 Punchestown - Lossiemouth

Willie Mullins’ star mare LOSSIEMOUTH will be tough to beat on this seasonal reappearance if running anything close to her official mark of 159.

The six-year-old has only once finished outside the first two in 14 starts under rules - and that came when falling at the fourth-last flight when narrowly ahead in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown in February.

She’s won both starts since, landing the Grade 1 Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March for the second successive year and the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle at the Grand National Meeting the following month.

A seven-time Grade 1 winner, she’s one of the best mares ever to grace the racecourse and a clear run should see her add to that tally on Saturday, most likely at the expense of stablemate Irancy