There are seven races at Leopardstown tomorrow, some of them with relevance to the more minor races at Cheltenham. However, with regard to the Festival, the real action will take place after racing.
The Gold Cup favourite Florida Pearl will school over a maximum of eight fences with Richard Dunwoody set to partner him. Florida Pearl pleased his trainer Willie Mullins in a schooling session over nine fences yesterday morning and there are no problems reported with the horse who has captured the racing public's imagination.
"He schooled very well this morning. Ruby Walsh rode him along side Native-Darrig who was ridden by David Casey and they will have another pop at Leopardstown," said Mullins yesterday. "He won't have a hard piece of work at Leopardstown so I'm not worried about the heavy ground there. He'll jump the six fences down the back and maybe the second last and last, depending on the ground. He has put on a fair bit of condition since the Hennessy and the day out should do him good," he added.
With the bad weather ruling out post-race workouts on the flat and hurdles track there will be even more focus on Florida Pearl's school, but any tension in the Mullins camp should have been eased earlier by Mykon Gold in the Brannockstown Handicap Hurdle.
Mykon Gold is a Cheltenham possible himself with the County Hurdle still on the cards for the six-year-old.
A three-time winner last year, Mykon Gold followed up a Cork success in December with a 10th to Archive Footage in the Ladbroke. However, he bounced back with a meritorious second to Limestone Lad here a month ago.
Limestone Lad beat Mykon Gold by a length and a half over the course and distance but was all out to do so and is now 5lbs worse off. He has also had a hard race since, behind Nomadic at Gowran. However, even allowing for that, Limestone Lad looks a more dangerous opponent than Space Trucker, preparing for the Grand Annual Chase at Cheltenham, or Gentle Mossy.
Mykon Gold will escape a penalty for the County Hurdle should he score today and with Cheltenham just 10 days away he is sure to be fresh and fit.
Mykon Gold's rider David Casey can score earlier on Cloone Bridge, placed in last year's SunAlliance Hurdle and a winner over fences this season. The Stepaside Novice Chase contains some decent performers including the course winner Sarsfield The Man and Storm Gem, but Cloone Bridge has won on testing going already this season and is just preferred.
That Cheltenham regular Time For A Run will also escape a penalty should he take the Kilternan Handicap Chase but the veteran faces a difficult task here against the likes of the Thyestes winner Bob Treacy and the lightly-weighted Glebe Lad.
The latter was a faller at the fifth last in the Thyestes but had earlier ran a good race in the Leopardstown Chase behind Hollybank Buck and Roundwood. Twenty three pounds is a sizeable chunk of weight to get from Bob Treacy whose best runs have come on a left handed track, but slight preference is still for Norman Williamson's mount.
A possible clue for the Weatherbys Festival Bumper could come in the Firmount Flat Race where the highly rated Hobart Frisbey takes his chance. A winner over Peerless Motion and The Clones Cyclone last time, Hobart Frisbey will have to win this if Cheltenham notions are still to be entertained.
His rider Robbie Walsh can also take the last with Lord Of The Lob who was set a difficult task at Naas last weekend, while Royal Signature should be hard to beat in the Ballsbridge Hurdle.
Paul Carberry has delayed his return to action until Tramore next Thursday, he revealed yesterday. Carberry broke two ribs and bruised a shoulder in a fall at Navan 12 days ago and was hoping to resume on Limestone Lad at Leopardstown tomorrow.
