Champion Hurdle Winner

Honeysuckle 

It had been touted that Henry de Bromhead’s unbeaten mare was expected to run against Nicky Henderson’s Constitution Hill in a battle billed ‘The Queen vs The Machine’. However it's now been confirmed by trainer that Constitution Hill will not line up at Punchestown.

It's a surprise to many because the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner, Constitution Hill's overall speed figure at Cheltenham came out as the best of all the 28 races run over the four days.

At Cheltenham, Honeysuckle beat Epatante and Zanahiyr to win her second Champion Hurdle at the festival and in doing so Henry de Bromhead's mare made it 15 unbeaten.

The majority of the support has been for eight-year-old Honeysuckle (best price 1/4), backed in 88% of the ante-post bets on the Punchestown Champion Hurdle through oddschecker.

Punchestown Champion Chase Winner

Energumene 

Energumene has not raced since romping to victory in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham (8 ½l) ahead of nearest challenger Funambule Sivola after a disappointing early exit for Nicky Henderson’s much-fancied Shishkin – pulled up quickly after the eighth fence. Shishkin and Energumene had been expected to fight it out in a rematch less than two months after a classic encounter at Ascot.

With Shishkin now sidelined with a rare bone condition, Energumene has emerged as the clear frontrunner for the Punchestown Champion Chase ahead of Chacun Pour Soi, who unseated jockey Patrick Mullins five out in the race at Cheltenham, but he may yet have to contend with Allaho – the Ryanair Chase winner provisionally entered in both this race and the Punchestown Gold Cup.

Energumene (best price 8/11) has been backed in 72.6% of the ante-post betslips for the Punchestown Champion Chase through oddschecker.