Imperial Call won his first race since landing the 1996 Gold Cup when coming home seven lengths clear of Merry Gale in yesterday's Ericsson Chase.
The rapturous reception given as Conor O'Dwyer steered him into the winner's enclosure spoke volumes for the popularity of the horse and his connections. The sharp descent in his ante-post Gold Cup odds to as low as 7 to 1 second favourite also hinted strongly that the horse could be back to his best. However, in the midst of all the odds slashing, doubters could be heard.
After cutting Imperial Call two points to 8 to 1 for the Gold Cup, Rob Hartnett of the English Tote said: "The new price is more a case of what we saw, or didn't see, at Kempton in the King George."
With Dorans Pride withdrawn in the morning, Imperial Call naturally started a warm favourite and did win without O'Dwyer having to get overly serious with him. Imperial Call also jumped with all his old flamboyance, but it was significant that Merry Gale, who has found three miles in soft ground an ordeal in the past, finished only seven lengths off him after looking very leg weary on the turn in.
O'Dwyer attributed the relatively narrow winning margin to the holding ground and the fact that Imperial Call had had little time to get over his previous race at Navan. "I pressed on five out to stretch Merry Gale and, on that ground, it told on my horse too. But he jumped great and I was very pleased with him," O'Dwyer said.
Sutherland seemed equally pleased and didn't rule out a return to Leopardstown for the Pierse Leopardstown Chase in two weeks' time, while emphasising that the Hennessy Gold Cup is the main Cheltenham warm-up contest.
"He'll have to be bucking the lads off at home to run in the Leopardstown, but I'm not ruling it out. I would have like looser ground, and he was in front for a long way, but he looked great and jumped well," Sutherland said.
Commanche Court similarly pleased his trainer Ted Walsh when landing the RTE for Sport Handicap Hurdle in such a style that saw him slashed to as low as 5 to 1 clear favourite for the Ladbroke Hurdle in two weeks time.
Under Norman Williamson, Commanche Court neatly beat Hard News by a length, and Walsh, after being told of the Ladbroke odds cut, said: "It doesn't matter to me whether he's hot favourite or 20 to 1, but he had to win the way he did today to justify running in the Ladbroke. If he stays sound, the Ladbroke and then the Tote Gold Trophy at Newbury has always been the plan."
"Mouse" Morris emphasised the strength of his novice team in both disciplines when uniting with Tony McCoy for a double. Foxchapel King was always holding the favourite, Native Estates, in the Stillorgan Orchard Novices Hurdle and looked a possible Sun Alliance Hurdle candidate. However, connections are toying with the idea of bypassing that festival and waiting for Fairyhouse and Punchestown instead.
Boss Doyle seemed to have Sun Alliance Chase written all over him when landing the Neville Novice Chase by a distance but Morris explained: "He's only five, still immature and he disappointed at Cheltenham last season. Novices can win the Irish National and that may be his race."
Classic-winning rider Stephen Craine, 40, rode his sixth hurdles winner when Nocksky beat the gallant topweight Cockney Lad in the Woodies Christmas Hurdle and, to celebrate, performed a flying dismount in the winner's enclosure a la Frankie Dettori.
"Life begins at 40," Craine declared, and Martin Browne, son of the winning trainer, Liam Browne, added: "I had no worries about putting Stephen up. I go hunting with him and I'd like to see other jockeys go at a six bar gate like him. There's nothing wrong with his bottle!"
Browne went on to score a double of his own with Sarsfield The Man in the bumper, while Conor O'Dwyer's double was initiated when giving Penny Native a peach of a ride to win the Neville Maiden Hurdle from Amberleigh House.
The latter was ridden by Ken Whelan after the intended rider, Paul Carberry, arrived late at the track. Carberry was subsequently fined £100 by the stewards for his tardiness.
