Don Cossack the favourite for clash of big three at Punchestown

Don Cossack is generally shading favouritism ahead of his eagerly awaited clash with Cue Card and Vautour at Punchestown in two weeks’ time.

A potentially epic clash between the three stars in the Bibby Financial Services Gold Cup would undoubtedly be the centrepiece of Punchestown’s €2.6 million festival and most bookmakers reckon the Cheltenham Gold Cup hero is likely to just edge it.

However Ladbrokes can’t split Don Cossack from his old rival Cue Card at 7-4 with Vautour at 4-1 the outsider of the trio. They clashed once at Kempton in the King George last Christmas when Cue Card edged out Vautour in a memorable finish after Don Cossack fell at the second last.

Third last

Cue Card fell at the third last at Cheltenham in the Gold Cup, leaving Don Cossack to win impressively, while Vautour easily won the Ryanair before he himself fell in Aintree’s Melling Chase last Friday.

After Cue Card's stylish Aintree Bowl success last week, Punchestown's €200,000 feature is shaping into a potential championship decider for the season in the staying chaser ranks, and one Vautour's rider, Ruby Walsh, is eager to be fit in time for.

The champion jockey suffered a hairline fracture to his wrist at Liverpool but his surgeon is reportedly “cautiously optimistic” the jockey will be fit in time for the festival.

The ten-time champion jockey has an enviable book of Willie Mullins trained horses to look forward to at the festival. He currently leads Bryan Cooper (102-92) in the race for the riders' title.

Don Cossack's trainer Gordon Elliott is putting together a strong team for Punchestown but says the Albert Bartlett runner-up, Fagan will be an absentee. "He won't be going to Punchestown. He'll run in Perth next week. There's a novice hurdle for him there."

Diamond King landed the Coral Cup at Cheltenham and has a number of options coming up, including both the Grade One Stayers Hurdle and the Betdaq Champion Hurdle at Punchestown.

“Diamond King is entered in a number of Grade Ones, but there’s also a race in Sandown that we’re looking at,” he said. “The owners are quite keen to go to Punchestown and the prize-money is that good I’d be delighted if he finished second or third.”