There is a Grand National "vibe" to today's Fairyhouse action, but it will be firmly about Cheltenham at Naas tomorrow where the Willie Mullins-trained pair Up For Review and Max Dynamite can earn late call-ups to the festival.
Max Dynamite appears in the Paddy Power Novice Hurdle, one of a pair of Grade 2 contests on the card, and a race which threw up the subsequent Supreme Novices Hurdle hero Go Native in 2009.
It will be a long way from the sort of company Max Dynamite kept on the flat in France, including when eighth to Intello in the 2013 Prix d Jockey Club, but a win here could earn him a place in Mullins’s powerful Cheltenham squad.
It is handicap entries in both the County Hurdle and the Martin Pipe in less than three weeks’ time which could ultimately be Max Dynamite’s best hope of festival success but if his jumping has improved from Limerick at Christmas he could prove tough to beat in this weekend’s context.
Second start
It’s worth betting it has because chasing the hugely progressive Champion Hurdle prospect Kitten Rock two months ago would have put pressure on most horse’s jumping, never mind one having just his second start over flights.
In contrast, Up For Review is already at the forefront of the Mullins hopes for the Champion Bumper.
Impressive on his first bumper start at Christmas, he has a pair of Gigginstown horses to beat in a race that in the past has produced two Cheltenham winners, Hairy Molly (2006) and Pizarro (2002).
Twinlight has to concede weight all round in the Grade 2 Chase, which will be a first start for Mallowney since he turned a €100,000 handicap at Fairyhouse last month into a 10-length rout.
Official mark
Mallowney has risen to an official mark of 160 on the strength of that, and Davy Russell is on board Tim Doyle’s runner, leaving the mount on Moscow Mannon to Andrew Lynch.
The latter is on course for Cheltenham’s Champion Chase and his best form, when splitting God’s Own and Balder Success at Punchestown last season, could make him a realistic contender back over a course and distance at which he’s proven.
Sunday’s most valuable event is the €50,000 novice handicap chase which may be a good option for Gallant Tipp after he indicated very testing ground conditions are not a problem for him with a good run behind Dromnea at Fairyhouse.
Maurice Phelan’s Portrait King attempts to repeat his 2013 success in Newcastle’s Eider Chase today, while the stamina focus at Fairyhouse will be on the At The Races Bobbjo Chase where Spring Heeled puts his Aintree credentials on the line in the Grade 2 pot.
Ground conditions are unlikely to suit the Kim Muir winner, however, and on very testing going the best betting option may be the dour-staying My Murphy who has his own National ambitions – of the Uttoxeter Midlands variety – for trainer Liam Burke.
