General bookmaker reaction to Venalmar's narrow defeat of Trafford Lad in yesterday's Grade Two feature at Naas was to take no chances and the "Mouse" Morris-trained horse is now as low as 14 to 1 for Cheltenham's Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle.
Such price-slashing will have been only helped along by Morris's immediate post-race reaction to yesterday's Woodlands Park Slaney Hurdle success which was to label Venalmar "a next-year horse really" and yet waste no time in also steering the upcoming Cheltenham festival into his sights.
The Ballymore, formerly the SunAlliance, could be replaced as an option by the three-mile Brit Insurances Hurdle if ground conditions turn up quick in March. Either way Morris couldn't disguise his relish at the idea of heading back to Cheltenham again with a live chance.
"He's a big baby and a next-year horse really. But we might chance it." he grinned. "On fast ground, two and a half miles would be his minimum distance. He's a nice horse though."
With the 2006 Gold Cup hero War Of Attrition out for the season, a new potential star is good news for Morris whose own Cheltenham success story goes back 34 years to Mr Midland's National Hunt Chase victory in 1974. As a jockey there was also a brace of Champion Chase wins on Skymas (1976-77) and that race also fell to Buck House in 1986 in the early stages of Morris's training career. Throw in a 1983 Supreme victory for the same horse, a 1990 Stayers' Hurdle success for Trapper John, not to mention a 2005 Grand Annual for Fota Island, and Venalmar has some illustrious hoofprints to try and follow in.
Yesterday's display was full of promise as he didn't flinch under a strong Paddy Flood drive in beating off Trafford Lad's persistent challenge. Considering the runner-up's 7lb Grade penalty, he too came out of the race with plenty credit and is also a 14 to 1 shot for the Ballymore in some lists.
The stewards held an inquiry into possible interference between the two in the closing stages but took no action.
Ballymore odds of 33 to 1 were floating about for Our Bob after his opening maiden hurdle win which sparked a double for the in-form team of Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh as the high-class flat racer Temlett made all to win over obstacles at the third time of asking in the two-mile maiden hurdle.
"We changed tactics and he seemed to enjoy it so we might be back on track," said Mullins after Temlett's Triumph Hurdle odds were cut to 25 to 1.
"Maybe he was too deep among horses at Leopardstown the last day but he won from the front on the flat and he certainly enjoyed doing that today. I might run him a couple of times more before Cheltenham. Unlike many four-year-olds he appears to thrive on quick races and he's quite lazy at home," he added.
Mullins brought up a treble of his own in the bumper as the newcomer Prince Geeno earned 25 to 1 quotes for the Cheltenham bumper with a narrow defeat of the 20 to 1 outsider Come To The Party in the last.
"He'd been showing up plenty at home and he showed it there too. He would certainly be good enough for Cheltenham but we would have to see if the ground came up quick. He's a big, strong horse who might not like that," the trainer said.
One horse definitely not going to Cheltenham is Thyne Again, who started to make up for some lost time with defeat of Albanov in the novice chase.
On the sidelines for almost 18 months due to a leg problem, Liam Burke's highly-rated chestnut endured a nightmare on his return at Fairyhouse when hampered on three separate occasions.
Yesterday was comparatively straight-forward and the Arkle at Leopardstown in three weeks beckons for a horse that Burke believes could be top class over three miles.
"He has loads of ability but sometimes these horses don't come back as good as they were. Thank God he's A1 again," said Burke who landed the Galway Plate with Sir Frederick during the summer. "He definitely won't be going to Cheltenham this year but if the ground is alright the Powers Gold Cup is something else to look at."
Claimer Mark Joyce had his first winner for Jessica Harrington on Vaqueras in the Opportunity Hurdle and Royal Spring could attempt a cross-code double over hurdles at Limerick on Thursday after beating Knockersally Flyer in yesterday's handicap chase.
