Day two at Punchestown brings with it the feature race of the entire meeting as the Gold Cup takes centre stage on Wednesday evening in Co Kildare.

Greats of the National Hunt arena have won this race since its inception in 1999, with Florida Pearl, Beef Or Salmon, Kicking King, Sizing John, Clan Des Obeaux and Fastorslow among those on the honours list, as well as, most famously, Kemboy carrying Ruby Walsh to his record sixth Punchestown Gold Cup win in 2019 as the Kildare native waved goodbye to the saddle in true style.

Who will join them in 2025? A select field of four runners have been declared and it looks like a cracking contest, as Galopin Des Champs headlines and attempts to make it third time lucky in the race.

We've got a runner-by-runner guide as well as our selection for the big race below.

Punchestown Gold Cup Tip

Odds courtesy of BoyleSports and correct at the time of publishing

BoyleSports Punchestown Betting Offer

Punchestown Gold Cup runners

Banbridge (JJ Slevin / Joseph O'Brien)

The King George winner at Christmas, Banbridge is a graded scorer at 2m, 2m4f and 3m, which is a rare accolade in itself. He picked off the front-running Il Est Francais to collect Kempton's big festive prize but last month's Cheltenham Gold Cup saw him making mistakes at his obstacles and, in the end, the white flag was raised too far from home, suggesting he was a non-stayer over the three-and-a-quarter-mile trip.

Coming back slightly in trip will only aid him but he does still have to prove he will see it out on a track of this nature.

Galopin Des Champs (Paul Townend / Willie Mullins)

The best staying chaser that we have seen in recent years, Galopin Des Champs was denied his Gold Cup hat-trick in the Cotswolds last month but he was a clear second-best behind Inothewayurthinkin, with both Monty's Star and Banbridge in the rear view mirror.

That certainly cannot be classed as a bad effort and the yielding ground here will suit him, while Paul Townend may elect to boss this race from the front given the small turnout.

Those forcing tactics have paid major dividends in the past and will help Galopin Des Champs ensure a thorough stamina test ensues. Beaten in the previous two renewals of this race, the make-up this year suggests it is tailor-made for him.

Monty's Star (Rachael Blackmore / Henry De Bromhead)

An honourable fourth in the Gold Cup in Cheltenham last time, Monty's Star was edged out by Spillane's Tower in a Grade 1 novice over course and distance last year at this meeting.

The pair are back now in open company and with the chance to impress. He wasn't disgraced in the Irish Gold Cup when less than eight-lengths behind Galopin Des Champs in fifth, but this demands a clear personal best.

Spillane's Tower (Mark Walsh / Jimmy Mangan)

The youngster in the pack as a seven-year-old, Jimmy Mangan's charge was a top-class novice last season and won Grade 1s at Fairyhouse and here over C&D, beating Monty's Star latterly.

An excellent second behind Fact To File in the John Durkan on his comeback, with Galopin Des Champs in third, but that was over an intermediate trip and things didn't go to plan afterwards in the King George where he was a laboured fifth behind Banbridge.

There could well be more in the locker after he skipped Cheltenham and Aintree this spring and the ground should be spot on for him.

Verdict

The small field may lend itself to GALOPIN DES CHAMPS bagging a first win in this race. He failed to complete his Cheltenham hat-trick last month but can instead make it third time lucky in this contest.

Forcing tactics have paid off handsomely with him before and should ensure that Banbridge has his stamina tested.

Monty's Star hasn't yet displayed enough ability to suggest he can win a race such as this and while Spillane's Tower is the unknown factor to some degree, his campaign hasn't really gone to plan. He won here last season on what was his seventh start of the term, but arrives now after just two spins, the second of which was at Christmas. He could run well in defeat behind a modern day great that appears to have found the cards falling in his favour now.