The clash between Marine Nationale and Fact To File in the Grade 1 William Hill Champion Chase is the undoubted highlight on day one of the 2025 Punchestown Racing Festival.

Having travelled strongly to win the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham last month, the Willie Mullins trained Fact To File drops back to the minimum trip to take on Barry Connell's reigning two-mile champion chaser Marine Nationale.

Trainer Willie Mullins has strong claims of taking all three Grade 1 races on the card. Aside from Fact To File, he has market leaders Kopek Des Bordes and Salvador Mundi in the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle and the first three in the betting for the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase.

Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Kopek Des Bordes has looked a hugely exciting talent to date. However, he is unlikely to have it all his own way with stablemate Salvador Mundi looking to have improved when scoring at Aintree.

With Leader Des Bordes a half-brother to Kopek Des Bordes, set to make his racecourse debut in the Goffs Defender Bumper, it could be yet another red letter day for Mullins.

Following watering, the official going on both the Chase and Hurdles course is yielding. Clerk of the Course Brendan Sheridan described the ground on the Cross Country course as yielding, good to yielding in places. Selective watering will continue throughout the morning.