FAMILIAR FEEL KEY FOR JIMMY'S STAR

PACKS A PUNCH Spillane's Tower won at Punchestown last year

- BY ADAM MORGAN

IF COURSE form stands for anything, Jimmy Mangan and connections of Spillane's Tower have every right to be hopeful of a big run in the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup today.

From five visits to the Kildare track, the JP McManus-owned gelding has three victories and two second places.

He claimed a Grade One victory on this card 12 months ago before splitting Fact To File and Galopin Des Champs on his reappearance in the John Durkan in November, after which he was fifth when favourite for the King George and then missed Cheltenham and Aintree.

Mangan (above) said: "I was a small bit disappointed that we didn't get to run in the Bowl (at Aintree).