Today's preview: Total Enjoyment brings some star quality to Punchestown's New Year's Eve fixture today as she tries to get her Cheltenham campaign back on track in the featured Listed hurdle.
The mare's trainer, Tom Cooper, conceded yesterday his stable star will be a long way from peak fitness, but the Stallion Farms Hurdle, which is confined to mares, looks an ideal comeback opportunity.
It's a month since Total Enjoyment was found to be sick after finishing only sixth in the Grade One Royal Bond Hurdle and, considering the form of that race has been boosted since by Royal Paradise, it was some achievement by the Cheltenham bumper winner to finish so close.
"Considering she was ill she ran some race. She was well there to the second last and was only beaten nine lengths," said Cooper, who turned down the chance to run in the Future Champions Race at Leopardstown on Monday.
"She seems fine, but she won't be 100 per cent as she missed 13 days' work," he said. "I've taken a step back and put her in the mares race. You have to be 100 per cent to take on the best novices at Leopardstown."
Cooper is eyeing up one further pre-festival run at Leopardstown in February, but a lot will depend on how Total Enjoyment gets on today. Anywhere near shouting distance of her best should be good enough to win.
GVA Ireland won the handicap hurdle here last year and this time looks to have found another winning opportunity in the Beginners Chase. The form of his race at Navan with Doodle Addle and Strong Project was boosted by the latter on Wednesday at Leopardstown and the trip and distance look perfect.
Ease The Way was the only loser from three Christmas runners for Dermot Weld, but the maiden hurdle today will have no Arch Rebel appearing in it.
Down at Tramore, Carrodown Storm has to carry a 6lb penalty in the handicap chase for beating Pearly Jack at Limerick on Monday. The latter bounced back to win on Wednesday under topweight so the form looks solid enough for the McMahon horse to follow up.
Strike Back's misfortune over fences continued with a fall at Down Royal on Monday, but he can break his duck in the Beginners Chase, where Doonaree could be a danger.
Baez's run behind Our Ben at Clonmel doesn't read too badly in the context of the mares maiden hurdle.
