LADY DAISY and Legal And Tender were a brace of hurdle winners last month whose successes aroused very different emotions amongst the bookmaking fraternity.
The Tony Mullins trained Lady Daisy landed a mammoth gamble at Clonmel in which neither off course nor on course layers escaped, while the Frank Berry handled Legal And Tender at 33 to 1 was the shock of the Christmas meeting at Leopardstown.
The pair now take one another on today in the Landenstown Handicap Hurdle at Punchestown where Legal And Tender, just 1lb out of the handicap proper, can show that her victory was not a fluke.
I was impressed by the fashion in which the mare took on the favourite Rawy at the second last flight and kept up the pressure all the way home.
Willie Mullins, who has the same strike rate this season as the reigning National Hunt champion Aidan O'Brien, has double prospects with Native Darrig and Jodesi.
By far the largest field of the weekend will contest the Brannockstown Maiden Hurdle and there are at least half a dozen that should come into the reckoning with likely dangers to Native Darrig coming from Cavalier d'Or, Garrys Lock and West Leader.
Native Darrig was, however, having his run over hurdles and his first start since June when second to Buggy at Navan. He appeared to `blow up' between the last two flights and this dual Leopardstown and Tipperary bumpers winner will be a fitter horse today.
Jodesi on the other hand is now going for his hat trick and even if his bumper win at Thurles looked to have been achieved over a weak field, he was highly impressive in his first hurdle when at Leopardstown he raced away in the straight to beat Kilcoo Boy by seven lengths.
Sean O'Brien is a young trainer for whom a bright future is predicted. Although no relation he comes out of the Aidan O'Brien school. His mare, Our Dante, took the eye on her course debut and is napped in the Rooske Flat Race.
Ridden by her trainer, she came from behind to dispute the lead with Sophie Victoria and while getting the better of that duel eventually weakened into fourth place. The winner, Graphic Equaliser, previously the year's unluckiest loser when disqualified on technical grounds, has won again since.
I would not care to get over involved in the Sunday Times Novice Chase as the majority of the better class entries are either jumping badly or out of form. Perhaps Tom Treacy will coax a win out of The Subbie as a taster for Sunday's ride on Danoli.
. Pat Flynn yesterday ruled out any prospect of Montelado running in the Smurfit Champion Hurdle in March. But Flynn revealed the 10 year old would be kept for a Flat campaign and could be seen out on the level as early as April.
"There's no chance of him running at Cheltenham - maybe next year," said the Co Waterford based handler.
"He'll be aimed at some decent condition races and we might send him over to England if something suitable comes up."
