RACING:TODAY'S FAIRYHOUSE feature presents punters with a 13-runner Dan Moore Handicap Chase that almost defines the phrase competitive. But a solution could be to ask how many of the others are able to boast the sort of career highs that Osana can.

The Edward O’Grady-trained star was one of the top hurdlers in Britain and Ireland during the 2007-2008 season when he finished runner-up in both the Champion Hurdle and the Aintree Hurdle, and secured a Grade Two defeat of the subsequent champ, Katchit, that season.

Transferred to Edward O’Grady, Osana last year became one of the top novices in the country and was only a couple of lengths off Sizing Europe when third in the Arkle at Cheltenham.

Of course that was then and this is now and it is almost a year and a half since Osana actually won a race. But he hasn’t run over jumps since December and he ran promisingly in a warm-up on the flat behind Pittoni earlier this month.

Osana should strip fresher than some of these, including Scotsirish who comes here on the back of a tough race in the Topham, and looks handily weighted, unlike the bottom weight Peak Raider, who races from significantly out of the handicap proper.

Gagewell Flyer’s best form is on softer ground than he will face in the Grade Two novice hurdle. He also has to concede weight all round and he was pulled up in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham.

However, he actually ran a better race than the bare form figure would suggest at the festival and could relish the drop back from three miles. He also ran a good race in a bumper on decent ground last year.

He is Ruby Walsh’s pick over Willie Mullins’s other hope, Lambro and the combination can successfully hold off Last Instalment.

The Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has three hopefuls in the Grade Three Juvenile Hurdle and Davy Russell looks to have picked right with Rocky Wednesday. The ex-David Wachman runner won on fast ground on the flat and should relish better going here.

The Cheltenham winner What A Charm lines up in the valuable handicap hurdle where Dreamy Gent can successfully build on a good comeback appearance at Dundalk recently while his stable companion, Sarsfield’s Ride, can figure prominently in the €100,000 Tattersalls Bumper.