Johnny Murtagh will swap sunny Dubai for Navan tomorrow afternoon where Ireland's current main hope of victory in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle crown, Golden Cross, has his festival warm-up.
Golden Cross is one of six declared for the McCabe Builders Boyne Hurdle, a race won in five of the last six years by odds-on shots.
It should be no different now although whether the Michael Halford-trained horse will be as short as the 2004 winner Rosaker (1 to 5) and Limestone Lad (2 to 9) in 2001 is debatable.
Asian Maze is also declared at Gowran today and if she misses Navan that will leave Golden Cross at least two stone clear of the opposition. Of possibly more interest will be how Murtagh's mount gets on over a trip further than two and a half miles for the first time but Halford has few worries on that score.
"The way he stays so well on the flat and the way he races suggests he will be fine," he said.
A more tempting betting opportunity could present itself in the opening Grade Two ladbrokes.com Flyingbolt Novice Chase where the step back in class should be ideal for Arthur Moore's Mansony. The former smart handicap hurdler has been mixing it with the best over two miles this season and a flamboyant display of jumping over Christmas didn't deserve the final fence fall Mansony sustained behind Missed That.
He has since ran less well behind the same horse in the Arkle but possibly better ground and this two-mile journey should see him compete against the likes of Monjoyau and Zum See.
Willie Mullins runs both Homer Wells and Mr Babbage in the Ten Up Chase and while David Casey is on the former, Mr Babbage impressed over the course and distance last time and looks a chaser on the up.
Tony McCoy travels for the Monjoyau ride in the Flyingbolt but might end up being more successful on the JP McManus-owned Like A Bee in the two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase. It's a full mile drop in trip from his last start in the National Trial and while Like A Bee is no star he did run a fine sixth in the Paddy Power Chase and is worth a look tomorrow.
Tango Jim justified favouritism on his Fairyhouse debut and the four-year-old gets the concessions in the bumper.
