Racing News: Jessica Harrington, who mopped up Leopardstown's Grade One features on Sunday, also looks set to dominate next weekend with Moscow Flyer due to reappear at Punchestown.
The former champion chaser is being lined up for the Byrne Group Tied Cottage Chase, a Grade Three event he picked up in 2003 on his way to winning the Queen Mother Champion Chase title at Cheltenham.
Moscow Flyer missed out on Leopardstown at Christmas because of a mucus problem, but is reportedly well over that and on course for the festival.
"All being well, he runs on Sunday," Harrington said yesterday. "He didn't run at Christmas because of a slight bit of mucus in him so we couldn't chance him. But he has got over that and worked well with Macs Joy last Wednesday at the Curragh. He seems in serious form."
The same comment could also be made about the Harrington stable in general, with Macs Joy having won the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle and Ulaan Baatar picking up the Arkle Trophy on Sunday.
The latter has festival options in both the Arkle and the SunAlliance Chase, but the ground could end up being a crucial factor in whatever he does.
"He does need soft ground, so you'd have that doubt that the ground could be too quick at Cheltenham.
"He is relatively inexperienced despite being eight. He could improve and also go further, but the ground is an important factor," Harrington said.
As for Macs Joy's Champion Hurdle chance, she added: "Hopefully we will be able to hold him up a bit longer at Cheltenham. The faster pace there will suit. He finishes well and won his maiden at Downpatrick, which has a much steeper hill than Cheltenham."
The ground at Punchestown for Sunday's card is currently "heavy", but that could change as a mostly dry week is being forecast by the Met Office.
Other news yesterday centred on the Hennessy Gold Cup on February 6th, which has 10 horses left in it. However, the eye-catching entry of Strong Flow looks unlikely to be taken up.
A spokesman for Strong Flow's trainer, Paul Nicholls, said yesterday the entry was just a "back up" and the Gold Cup hope remains on target for the Aon Chase at Newbury on February 12th.
"He is absolutely fine at the moment and the idea is still to run at Newbury. The Hennessy is just a back-up plan," he said.
The other cross-sea trained entries are Chives and the Down Royal winner Murphy's Cardinal.
Beef Or Salmon is the stand-out horse in the Hennessy and remains on course to try to repeat his 2003 success. But his home opposition is likely to include Rule Supreme, who fell at the last in the Lexus at Christmas.
"He goes for the Hennessy and is in good form," said trainer Willie Mullins.
"The Hennessy has been the target for a while. Beef Or Salmon is a big worry, but our horse looks to have a good chance."
The Ladbrokes World Hurdle, formerly the Stayers, remains Rule Supreme's Cheltenham target, but one horse who will miss the festival entirely is last season's Festival Bumper winner Total Enjoyment.
The Tom Cooper-trained mare has had a setback in training and is out for the rest of the season.
BETTING: (Cashmans): Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup: 1-2 Beef Or Salmon; 9-2 Pizarro; 6-1 Rule Supreme; 10-1 Murphy's Cardinal; 16-1 Cloudy Bays; 50-1 Jack High; 100-1 Doodle Addle, Hersov.
