WILLIE Mullins' disappointment at not winning the British trainers' championship can swiftly be allayed on day one of the Punchestown Festival.

Mullins sends a ridiculously good team to the County Kildare knees-up and must seriously fancy his chances of scooping a Grade One clean sweep at the opening fixture.

YORKHILL looks a good thing in the Herald Champion Novice Hurdle but perhaps OUTLANDER offers punters a bit more value in the Growise Champion Novice Chase.

The high-class novice has National hero Rule The World to worry about but the fellow Gigginstown House Stud runner is taken to come out on top.

Outlander is already a Grade One scorer, having struck at Leopardstown in February, but he had no luck whatsoever in the JLT Novices' Chase at Cheltenham.

Lots went wrong and little went right for the eight-year-old, who ended up falling four fences from home when still in a decent pitch.

Outlander took quite a hefty fall at Cheltenham, so it was probably not that big a shock that he was slightly off-key in the Ryanair Gold Cup Novice Chase at Fairyhouse, in which he still did well enough to finish second.

And having resisted the advances of Aintree, Mullins should have him back at fever pitch for this assignment.

Though he steps up to just over three miles for the first time in his career, everything Outlander has done so far over fences tends to suggest this sort of trip will be just the ticket. As such, he gets today's nap vote.

Nicky Henderson's genius handling of Sprinter Sacre surely gives Simonsig's supporters plenty of hope in the BoyleSports Champion Chase.

Even so, it is still tough to imagine the returning grey being able to live with a fully wound-up VAUTOUR.

His dramatic fall at Aintree probably cost Mullins the trainers' title but that was surely a one-off lapse in concentration rather than any deep-rooted frailties.

That he was rerouted to the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham, which he won in cigar mode, has been the subject of endless discussion. But if, indeed, he was not completely fit that day, there is obviously scope for limitless progress.

Vautour would simply not be running if Aintree had left its mark, so now is not the time to jump ship with a horse who has the raw speed to easily cope with a return to two miles.

BORN TO FINISH should go well if he can transfer his decent all-weather form across to the turf in the Streamline Taxis – Official Transport Partner Handicap at Brighton.

Having to race widest in the straight, he finished well at Chelmsford earlier in the month and a gelding operation looks to have had a positive effect. He can continue on an upward curve off just a pound higher mark.

Windsor runner-up FUNNY OYSTER is respected in the opening Wyvern Ices Handicap at Bath.

Still a maiden, a race of this nature looks within her compass, judged on her staying-on effort at the Thameside track.

FIRST EXPERIENCE has not won for ages but the five-year-old mare is back on a nice-looking mark for the concluding April Fillies' Handicap at Lingfield.

She was also a tad unfortunate on her most recent outing to the Surrey venue, when trapped for room inside the final furlong, eventually finishing fourth to Perfect Alchemy.

A mile and a quarter should do for NORSE MAGIC in division one of the Racing UK Day Pass Just £10 Fillies' Handicap at Nottingham.

Her seasonal return was only moderate but there was enough encouragement in her efforts last season to suggest it is too early to write her off – especially on her first try at this trip, which should suit on breeding.

In-form PLANETOID is taken to make a successful return to the Flat in the Berrys Handicap at Wolverhampton.

The eight-year-old travelled particularity well when winning at Lingfield at the beginning of the month and has gone close over hurdles since.

Timmy Murphy takes the mount again and although 6lb higher, he must go close if proving equally adept on the Tapeta surface at Dunstall Park.