News and Gowran preview: The impact of one run on the perception of a race will rarely be better illustrated than by today's Betfair Chase at Haydock where the Irish pair of Beef Or Salmon and Offshore Account will attempt to upset steeplechasing's star attraction, Kauto Star.
Along with Hardy Eustace's bid to repeat his impressive triumph of last year in the Coral Ascot Hurdle - providing the Berkshire track passes an 8am inspection due to a frost scare - they contribute to a sizable Irish presence across channel today.
However, it's the second start of the season by Kauto Star up at Haydock that will hog most attention as the Paul Nicholls-trained superstar tries to repeat his spectacular success of last year which kicked off a momentous Tingle Creek-King George-Gold Cup-winning campaign.
However, that staggering achievement appears to hold less sway over today's contest than Kauto Star's return to action at Aintree last month. On the face of it, only just failing to concede weight to Monet's Garden in a handicap was hardly a bad performance. But the way he travelled through the race was a long way from the free-wheeling exuberance of last season.
Kauto Star's owner has already added fuel to the fire by speculating that the horse may already have peaked and Ruby Walsh's injury, which gives Sam Thomas a massive opportunity today, also adds to a sense of hope among the opposition that seemed very unlikely before that Aintree run.
Barry Geraghty substitutes for Tony McCoy on Exotic Dancer and the Irish jockey caught the prevailing mood yesterday.
"I was talking to Ruby after that race, we were just chatting, but he was anxious enough about it. For a winner of the Tingle Creek only 12 months ago to travel as poorly as he did, you might be worried," Geraghty said.
Exotic Dancer will be a prime candidate to take advantage of any slip-up in Kauto Star's performance but Michael Hourigan is also hopeful that Beef Or Salmon, runner-up in the last two Betfairs, can again put in a good performamce. "I would have liked to have got a run over hurdles into him but he's in good form," said Hourigan.
Hardy Eustace will face some familiar faces in his Grade Two task with Afsoun and Detroit City, as well as Jonjo O'Neill's Wichita Lineman and Cloone River from Charlie Swan's yard, set to line up.
Hardy Eustace will probably follow the staying route this year but Philip Hobbs is using this race to find out where he stands with Detroit City.
Last season's Cheltenham bumper looks the race to keep in mind for the first two races at Gowran Park this afternoon where the highly-rated festival third Aranleigh gets his jumping career off the blocks in the second maiden hurdle. Andrew McNamara takes the ride on the five-year-old who is already one of the favourites for the Ballymore Properties Novice Hurdle at the festival.
Sophocles was runner-up to Cork All Star at Cheltenham and also has his first start over flights in a hot looking opener while Nina Carberry will be hoping for a successful return from injury in the bumper on board the Noel Meade newcomer, Orpheus Valley.
