DAY TWO REVIEW:A FOUR millimetre splinter of Welsh birch inside the skin of one of Notre Pere's legs played ball for long enough yesterday to allow Jim Dreaper's star chaser secure the most valuable prize of his career in the Guinness Gold Cup at Punchestown.

The splinter is an unwanted souvenir from Notre Pere’s victory in the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow last December and it has plagued him for the past three months, even ruling out a tilt at the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

However, with Dreaper reporting him to be “bang on” for yesterday’s festival centrepiece, the giant chaser routed his opposition to the tune of 13 lengths and earn quotes of as low as 10 to 1 for next season’s Gold Cup.

“In a heavy ground Gold Cup he would have a chance, but he is not quick enough for the real top guys like Kauto Star and Denman on good ground,” was Dreaper’s typically pragmatic reaction to such prices.

“Today was one of those rare days when we felt we had him bang on. The rain came to suit him and we knew he was in great order,” the Co Dublin trainer added.

It looked it too as Andrew Lynch kicked Notre Pere into a definite lead at the fifth last and nothing could get within hailing distance up the straight. Scotsirish tried and then tired to third as Schindlers Hunt ran on for second. However, the big British hope, Imperial Commander, was beaten when pulled up after the second last.

For a horse who has a date with vet next week to have that splinter removed Notre Pere certainly looked to be in the same sort of pink as owner Pat Conway’s bright colours. “There was no risk running today but the veterinary advice is that it could flare up at any time so it will have to come out – if they can find it!” Dreaper grinned.

“It happens sometimes, when a horse drags its legs through a fence, that a little hair on the leg can be removed, or cause a wound. This piece of birch got in and it flared up badly on January 15th and again on March 1st. We found it with ultrasound after the second time,” he added.

After co-operating so well to allow the well-backed 15 to 8 favourite win easily, maybe the temptation after next week’s procedure will be to preserve that bit of Welsh birch and display it along with the big race trophy.