Day two of the Punchestown Festival comes up on Wednesday with the Gold Cup acting as the centrepiece of the meeting as Galopin Des Champs bids to finally land this prize at the third attempt.

The Gold Cup is one of a trio of Grade 1s in the middle of the card, but there are some appealing handicaps too, and we've picked out two horses to follow in the day two handicap races at peerless Punchestown.

Punchestown Day Two Handicap Tips

Odds courtesy of Coral and subject to change

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Murphy could strike Gold

The opening contest on the second day is wide open, with a field of 25 expected to line up in the Adare Manor Opportunity Series Final Handicap Hurdle over a trip just shy of two-and-a-half miles.

UK raiders American Sniper for David Pipe and Kap Vert for Philip Hobbs & Johnson White command respect but there are lots of dangers lurking amongst the home team.

Gavin Cromwell will feel Ballysax Hank has a major chance on his chasing form now sent back over hurdles from a reduced mark, while any interest in the returning Nouvotic for Henry De Bromhead would be noted as his lightly-raced six-year-old goes handicapping for the first time.

Colm Murphy has a few chances at this meeting and STAY GOLD could be one of them. The Malinas gelding has plenty of experience at this venue and has shaped with some promise in his three Punchestown starts at 2m3½f/2m7½f.

The latest of those was in February when sporting first-time cheekpieces and finishing fourth in maiden company over C&D on heavy ground.

This yielding surface should be spot on for him and with the yard in form, he appeals as one that can go well for each-way punters having crept into this contest at the foot of the weights.

Elliott to keep the Lights on

The Grade 3 Colm Quinn BMW Handicap Chase could be a nice spot for the progressive LIGHTKEEPER for Gordon Elliott and Jordan Gainford.

A field of 15 are engaged and plenty of them have multiple marks against their names that make it difficult to support them.

They include the Willie Mullins duo Blue Lord and James Du Berlais that top the racecard in the colours of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede as well as So Scottish for Emmet Mullins.

Lightkeeper, for his part, is a Walk In The Park gelding with just six runs over fences behind him.

He put in some mixed efforts in the first half of the season but has seemingly got the hang of things now after wins at Down Royal (2m3½f, good) on St Patrick's Day and then at Wexford (2m3½f, yielding to soft) at the start of this month.

He has been ridden more forward in both those races and has won in both instances with something to spare.

He beat Paul Nolan's Kiltealy Park by eight lengths last time, before that rival went to Fairyhouse last week and won a Listed Mares Handicap Chase in gutsy fashion with some smart rivals in behind.

A revised mark of 130 is manageable despite this rise in grade and his progressive profile is readily preferred in comparison with some of the regressing rivals that will be giving him weight.