The Irish team of Mansony and Schindlers Hunt face a mammoth task against the Queen Mother Champion Chase favourite, Twist Magic, at Ascot today but at least the raiding party look like they shouldn't be hampered by the prevailing ground conditions.
Just seven line up for the Victor Chandler Chase which will be run as a Grade One event for the first time today if weather conditions allow racing survive an 8am inspection.
With the going already heavy at Ascot, the clerk of the course, Chris Stickels, was cautiously optimistic yesterday and said: "The forecast is for another 6 to 7 mms of rain tomorrow so we thought it sensible to call an inspection. If we get more than that we could be in trouble but I'm still quite optimistic."
Twist Magic is expected to start an odds-on favourite to continue the big race run of Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh but some of his best form is on better ground than he will face today and his Irish opposition are rated his main threat.
Mansony is a 7 to 2 second favourite with the sponsors and has Grade One winning form on a variety of surfaces.
"He went over there on Thursday and has settled in well. Hopefully he is still on the upgrade. He will need to be but he is in good form. The ground shouldn't be a problem," said his trainer, Arthur Moore, yesterday.
In Davy Russell's absence, Conor O'Dwyer is reunited with Mansony and he and Moore will be hoping to repeat their 1998 Victor Chandler win with Jeffell.
Dessie Hughes is also hopeful of a good run from Schindlers Hunt who was third to Mansony in the Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas.
Hughes said: "I'm hoping for a good run. Twist Magic is going to be hard to beat but ours will run a big race I'm sure. I don't think the ground will bother him too much."
Other Irish interest at Ascot today will rest on Paramount who Ted Walsh sends for the Grade Two Hurdle after a fifth to Venalmar in the Slaney Hurdle at Naas on his previous start.
Should Cork get the green light tomorrow there won't be too many leaving before the last race as Michael Bowe gives Fair Ina just her third career start in the mares bumper. The half sister to Solerina is rated very highly by the Bowe team and will travel to Mallow on the back of a Punchestown victory on New Year's Eve.
"She reminds me of an exaggerated version of Solerina in her behaviour and her liking of heavy ground," Bowe said. "I just hope she has the exaggerated ability too!"
Fair Ina's apparent main danger Itsmylife was behind her on the Bowe runner's Navan debut so this looks a suitable opportunity for what potentially could be the next star runner from Ghatabawn.
Sound Witness was a desperately unlucky loser of the Paddy Power Chase when just edged out by Newbay Prop when carrying overweight. It's nearly three years since Robert Tyner's runner last run over the smaller obstacles but is on an attractive mark for the three-mile handicap hurdle compared to his chase rating.
Dancing Tornado will have no trouble with the heavy ground judged by a good performance at Leopardstown last weekend when he led fully three out in the Pertemps Qualifer only to fade in the closing stages.
That was over three miles and the JP McManus-owned runner should be better suited by the two miles of the opening hurdle in these testing conditions.
The 115 rated Rhacophorus is a big contender for the mares novice hurdle but will do well to concede 18lb to Adrian Maguire's four-year-old For Real.
