Spillane's Tower set to take his place in star-studded John Durkan at Punchestown on Sunday

Spillane's Tower will take on Fact To File, Galopin Des Champs and Fastorslow in Sunday's John Durkan Memorial Chase, which is shaping up to be one of the most fascinating races of the season with nine individual Grade 1 winners potentially clashing at Punchestown.

Trained by Jimmy Mangan, Spillane's Tower enjoyed a tremendous campaign last season, showing his versatility by winning over two miles before stepping up in distance to land Grade 1s over two and a half miles at Fairyhouse and over three miles and a furlong at the Punchestown festival.

Spillane's Tower is three from three over fences at Punchestown and is set for a huge test on his first foray outside of novice company in what promises to be a rip-roaring contest, with all of Ireland's best chasers poised to line up.

Mangan said: "The plan is to run in the John Durkan on Sunday. He's in good form, but he hasn't been on grass until this week as the ground was too tight. It looks like it's going to be a very good race, but we're looking forward to getting him started."

The six-year-old is another top-notch chaser tackling open company for JP McManus, who will also be represented by Brown Advisory Novices' Chase winner Fact To File and Aintree Grade 1 winner Inothewayurthinkin, who are being targeted at the contest by trainers Willie Mullins and Gavin Cromwell.

Galopin Des Champs is also poised to make his reappearance, and he will engage in round seven of his head-to-head with the Martin Brassil-trained Fastorslow. The score sits at three each, with Fastorslow taking the dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner's scalp in last season's John Durkan, and most recently in the Punchestown Gold Cup.

Despite the pair dominating the staying chase scene in Ireland for the last two seasons, Fact To File has been installed as the 2-1 favourite for Sunday's 2m3½f race following his stunning novice chase campaign, which featured two dominant Grade 1 successes at Leopardstown and Cheltenham.

Fellow Grade 1 winners Blue Lord, Capodanno, who was supplemented on Monday for Saturday's Betfair Chase at Haydock, Grangeclare West and Minella Cocooner all remain in contention for Mullins, as does Cromwell's Limerick Lace and the Henry de Bromhead-trained Journey With Me, the latter pair being the two without a top-level win to their name from the 11 possible runners.

John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase (2.25 Punchestown, Sunday)
Paddy Power: 6-4 Fact To File, 9-4 Fastorslow, 3 Galopin Des Champs, 7 Spillane's Tower, 12 Grangeclare West, 14 Inothewayurthinkin, 20 Journey With Me, 25 Limerick Lace, Minella Cocooner 40 Blue Lord, 66 Capodanno.

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