Racing/Gowran Park preview: There may be a Breeders' Cup looming on the horizon but Gowran Park today kicks off a home weekend that can legitimately claim to hold some influence on what might happen at Cheltenham in all of five months' time.
This afternoon's National Lottery Agent Champion Chase has been by-passed by Ireland's premier Gold Cup hope Beef Or Salmon but that doesn't mean a lack of championship clues with the likes Kicking King and Nil Desperandum returning from their summer breaks.
Beef Or Salmon's return will now happen in Sunday's Anglo Irish Bank Munster National at Limerick where the 10 to 1 second favourite for the Gold Cup will have to concede weight all round.
"He will have to give two stone to some other good horses on the day but he has to start somewhere and why not start him on home territory where there is fresh ground and it gives the local crowds the chance to see him," argued his trainer Michael Hourigan yesterday.
That's good news for the runners in today's feature and there will be some other possible Gold Cup clues here with Nil Desperandum rated a 33 to 1 shot for Cheltenham and Kicking King at 40 to 1. The latter, however, is also a 14 to 1 chance with Ladbrokes for the Champion Chase.
Both horses were among the best of last season's novices and met in the Power Gold Cup when Kicking King gave best to Hi Cloy with Nil Desperandum six lengths behind.
Kicking King's trainer Tom Taaffe reports his horse is ready for a first run of the season while Frances Crowley has said that her charge has done well during the summer. However, they are up against some hardened chase professionals now and none more so than Rathgar Beau.
"Dusty" Sheehy's horse hasn't run since April but has run well fresh in the past and although receiving weight from the first-season novices, his 152 handicap mark still officially makes him the highest-rated runner.
It's early days yet but few juvenile hurdlers have made a better impression than Riverboatman did when winning at Tipperary by four lengths. Today he has to concede 6lb and more all round in the three-year-old hurdle but should be up to it.
Ruby Walsh again teams up with The Parishioner in the three-mile handicap hurdle and the Michael Hourigan-trained horse should show the benefit for his recent run at the Listowel festival.
The Parishioner travelled and jumped noticeably well that day but not surprisingly after a summer break found the heavy going too much when Cloudy Bays kicked on in the straight. He should strip fitter today and the distance is not a problem.
Barry Geraghty is on Strike Back in an interesting Beginners' Chase where smart hurdlers like Beechcourt and Stacumny Bridge also make their chasing debuts.
Strike Back, a very decent handicapper over flights, is marginally preferred on this occasion.
