Five horses to follow at the Punchestown Festival on Thursday

Tipster: Andy Stephens (RaceiQ).

Best odds: 11-8.

Career Jump Index: 7.9. Top Speed: 36.10mph (at Cheltenham last time)

Lengths Gained Jumping final 3 flights at Ludlow: 10.67.

Diamond Du Berlais is the best jumper in this field according to the RaceiQ numbers and ran a cracker when sixth in the Mares’ Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham last time, having been only fourteenth with three furlongs left to run.

She had previously won easily at Ludlow, when her fluent jumping over the final three flights gained her almost 11 lengths. 

Tipster: Ross Millar.

Best odds: 11-4.

Was a gutsy winner of this last season for Joseph O'Brien when proving his stamina for this trip. Soft ground was against him when beaten here in November over 3m5f, but there's no getting away from the fact that he was disappointing when beaten at Cheltenham in December, when conditions would have suited. 

He's since switched to Cross Country specialist Enda Bolger, and a prep run over hurdles at Cork this month was satisfactory. I think he will bounce back here, as all his best form has come in late Spring and Summer.

Tipster: Harry Allwood.

Best odds: 8-1 (each-way).

This six-year-old caught the eye in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival when last seen, and should appreciate stepping back up in trip here. 

He travelled nicely into contention, but just lacked the tactical speed required to hold his position at a crucial stage turning for home before staying on in eye-catching style towards the finish.

That was also his first start over hurdles this season having failed to sparkle in four outings over fences, and the RaceiQ data shows he didn't jump as well as he can at Cheltenham. That may have been due to the trip, plus the lack of a recent outing over the smaller obstacles.

Philip Fenton's charge finished a creditable seventh in the Pertemps Final last year before finishing fourth in this race off his current rating, and was hampered at a crucial stage there before finding himself in front a shade too early. 

Last year's renewal looked a strong contest, too, and a reproduction of that effort should see Karl Des Tourelles in the mix again. It's also worth noting he contested Graded races, including at the highest level, as a novice hurdler, so it's likely connections would expect him to be better than a rating of 137. With a best-priced 8-1 available, he's worth siding with each-way.

Tipster: Johnny Ward.

Best odds: 12-1.

I don't like Kopek Des Bordes at the prices, given he failed to fire at the Punchestown Festival last year, and is so short at the 2-5 on offer. 

If Salvator Mundi can get a free lead, he will be very difficult to catch under Harry Cobden, and is a general 12-1 chance.

Tipster: Mark Boylan and Ross Millar.

Speaking on Racing TV's On The Wire podcast, Mark said: "Teahupoo is one of the favourites I will be with this week, he has a great chance."

Ross Millar says: He's won this race for the past two years, and has arguably shown his best form at this track.

He was a disappointing sixth in the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham when producing an uncharacteristically weak finishing effort, but that was in keeping with the general trend of runners from his yard that week, and I'm inclined to disregard it.

The fitting of first-time blinkers is a positive, and he can land this race for the third time.