Gift and Cowboy in Irish showdown

Jonjo O’Neill’s stable stars Iris’s Gift and Rhinestone Cowboy will clash in a mouth-watering renewal of the Ballymore Properties Champion Stayers Hurdle at Punchestown tomorrow.

Iris’s Gift, winner of the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham and Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree, takes on his older rival, who claimed the Aintree Hurdle last time.

Rhinestone Cowboy will be tackling the three-mile trip for the first time under amateur rider JP Magnier as O’Neill has opted not to take up his other engagement in the shorter Emo Oil Champion Hurdle on Friday.

Regular partner Barry Geraghty will be on Iris's Gift as he bids to win three Grade One contests on the bounce.

O’Neill’s pair will be joined by fellow English raider Mon Villez from Nicky Henderson’s yard.

The race has attracted eight runners, with James Bowe’s Florida Coast leading the Irish defence, along with Noel Meade’s Rosaker and the Ted Walsh-trained Bob Justice.

Willie Mullins relies on the enigmatic Holy Orders, while the field is completed by the French-trained Sunny Flight.