Irish Racing Leopardstown Saturday preview: With a prize pot of €170,000, the Paddy Power Handicap Chase brings the puzzle to Leopardstown's second day but there is little doubt about who brings the class.
The reigning two-mile champion chaser Moscow Flyer is a horse at the peak of his form right now and the Dial-A-Bet Chase should be little more than a victory procession.
Certainly if the likes of Azertyuiop and Flagship Uberalles couldn't get the Jessica Harrington-trained star off the bridle in the Tingle Creek at Sandown, then today's opposition look to face a hopeless task.
The well-worn proviso with Moscow Flyer is "with a clear round" but he didn't put a foot wrong at Sandown and his 174 rating officially gives him almost two stone in hand of his nearest rival.
The horse who was expected to at least put something up to Moscow Flyer was Native Upmanship but that Arthur Moore-trained runner was found to be slightly lame yesterday.
Instead, some pointed yesterday to the withdrawal of Moscow Flyer's stable companion Imazulutoo from the Denny with a respiratory infection. However, Harrington assured: "Moscow Flyer is in great form and that running nose thing is just affecting some of the young horses."
As usual, the Paddy Power is at the polar opposite in the difficulty stakes. A total of 28 will line up and when you see JP McManus pitching six of his powerful string into action then it's pretty clear that this is immensely difficult to work out.
Last year's winner Coq Hardi Diamond thrived in the muck that day while the Cork-based trainer Robert Tyner goes in search of a third success in the race with I Can Imagine.
One horse who cried enough by refusing at the third last in this race last season is Golden Storm but the Joe Crowley-trained runner could still be the one to reward an each-way punt.
A 42-race career indicates Golden Storm's hardiness, he is sure to stay having been placed over three and a half miles plus previously and he is proven on soft ground.
If Newmill can successfully give up to 13lb away in the Grade Two Future Champions Novice Hurdle, then Thomas O'Leary has a real Cheltenham prospect on his hands.
The progression Newmill showed to score at Navan after a hard-fought Royal Bond victory at Fairyhouse indicates a horse rapidly on the up-grade but even so the testing conditions could find him out.
Mariah Rollins looked unlucky in the Royal Bond and is 8lb better for that but the value of the race could lie with Kahuna whose trainer Dusty Sheehy reported yesterday: "We think he is up to this kind of race and the more rain the better for him." Kahuna won a bumper on testing going at this festival last year and a spell of steeplechase schooling did wonders for his hurdling technique at Punchestown.
Top Strategy indicated the good form of Ted Walsh's string in the Denny and Hannon looks another interesting contender from the yard in the maiden hurdle today. His third to Zum See and War Of Attrition reads well in this company. Afistfullofdollars ran into a hot one in Templelusk last time out but should get off the mark third time of asking in the bumper.
