He may not be an attractive betting proposition, but the remarkable Risk Of Thunder should again prove the highlight of tomorrow's card with his mastery of the banks course.
John Thomas McNamara gets the privilege of partnering Enda Bolger's star around the three-and-a-half miles of the Ward & Co Cross Country Chase, and while there is some above average opposition in the field, Risk Of Thunder has looked virtually unbeatable in these specialist conditions.
Half an hour later, another big name will appear, but the Kerry National winner Lanturn reverts to hurdles in the Hannon Handicap Hurdle. Humping 12 st around three miles in this soft going would test any horse, however, and preference is for Paul Carberry's mount Spirit Dancer.
One horse that went into virtually every notebook as a likely future winner was Alpha Blues, who can prove the theorists correct in the opening maiden hurdle.
Jim Dreaper's ex-French charge looked as if the run would do him good when he first appeared over hurdles at Navan in mid-October, but in smart company he proceeded to run a blinder.
Alpha Blues didn't jump particularly well, it must be said, but against the high class pair of Golden Rule and Balla Sola, he closed like a very smart prospect in the closing stages to be beaten just two lengths and half a length.
Sure to have been schooled extensively since, Alpha Blues would only have to repeat that bare form to cope with the admittedly smart bumper horse Hobart Frisbey. The likelihood is, however, that Alpha Blues will probably improve on it.
Galeogan was an expensive odds-on failure behind Chapel Road last time, but with Charlie Swan in the plate should get things back on track in the second race, while Regency Rake, also a beaten favourite at Liverpool, is marginally preferred in the Toomey Handicap Chase.
The champion trainer Noel Meade introduces Greenstead to fences in the Beginners Chase, and although he was 1 to 3 when beaten by Moscow Flyer at Down Royal, that form has since taken on a different light. Greenstead should have the finishing speed to cope with these given an adequate round of jumping.
Michael Hourigan's consistent The Mighty Sparrow is taken to get his head in front in the bumper, with the Meade-trained Atomic the main danger. Meanwhile, Meade's promising chaser Native Estates is set to run in the £80,000 Tripleprint Gold Cup at Cheltenham next Saturday.
"He is most likely to run though we are not yet 100 per cent certain. Native Estates is looking very well, but my main concern is that he may still be a bit novicey - he has only had five runs over fences," he said. Meade is hoping to book Paul Carberry for Native Estates, who has 10st 5lb in the handicap chase over two miles and five furlongs.
