Ned Kelly and his amateur rider, Tom Magnier, are as low as 5 to 1 with Paddy Power for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper after making it two wins from two starts at Leopardstown yesterday.
Starting joint favourite with Kolleya, Ned Kelly made most of the running to beat Soltero by five lengths and afterwards trainer Edward O'Grady confirmed that Magnier will keep the ride at Cheltenham.
"No change. He got on well with the horse and what else can we do now except drive on," said O'Grady.
Nineteen-year-old Magnier, son of Ned Kelly's owner John Magnier, was riding his fifth winner but will be facing the cream of the professionals at Cheltenham. As if that thought isn't enough to occupy his mind, he will also have to sweat on his weight.
"Tom is skinny enough at 11-2 but he'll have to 10-12 at Cheltenham so he might be going on the Tony McCoy diet!" smiled O'Grady, who long-term sees Ned Kelly, a half brother to Nick Dundee, as a horse for next year.
Slaney Native, a general 14 to 1 shot for the Arkle Trophy before the Stepaside Chase, now looks out of the Cheltenham picture after being routed by Montana Glen.
The 4 to 7 favourite jumped noticeably to the right during the race which was a huge contrast to the winner, who winged every fence down the back and had the race well in control before the last obstacle.
Montana Glen was eased right down to beat Slaney Native by four lengths, and trainer Jessica Harrington was at a loss to explain the favourite's performance.
"He was just flat and jumped to the right, which he's never done before. Turning in, he looked all right but then he became unbalanced and Paul (Moloney) thought he might have to pull him up.
"If there's a simple reason for that run we'll think about Cheltenham, but if there isn't we'll think again," Harrington said.
Montana Glen will now be aimed at Fairyhouse's Power Gold Cup but his jockey, Tom Treacy, got a much more immediate pay out when deputising for Conor O'Dwyer on Star Service, who easily took the £20,000 handicap chase.
Arthur Moore's horse jumped noticeably well throughout and had far too much in reserve for Foxchapel King and Valley Erne. It provided the horse with rich compensation for his last effort, when a slipped saddle cost him victory.
"He'd have got more of a penalty if he'd won at Puchestown so it balanced up like these things tend to do," said Moore, who is eyeing a conditions race at Navan later this month for the winner.
Calico Lady booked a trip to the Triumph Hurdle after edging out Darialann in the Ballsbridge Hurdle, and Michael Hourigan, who bought the filly for just £900, said: "She has earned the money to go to Cheltenham now."
Sharpaten has been with new trainer Pat Hughes for just a fortnight but he immediately paid dividends with a very cosy win in the handicap hurdle; while Valley Henry, racing in the See More Business colours of Paul Barber, added to a point-to-point success with an impressive victory in the second bumper.
At Tramore on Saturday, Ruby Walsh made a low-key return from a five month injury layoff when failing to score from two mounts. The reigning National Hunt champion, who broke his right shin in a freak accident in the Czech Republic last October, partnered Make My Day into third place in the opening Mitsubishi Pajero Challenger Maiden Hurdle. Walsh was also out of luck as top-weight Little Len dropped away tamely on the final circuit in the latest leg of the Powers Gold Label Handicap Hurdle Series.
No Problem completed a hat-trick of wins at the unique Waterford venue when taking the featured Ellickson Engineering Handicap Chase under Shay Barry. The same combination took the first race but had to survive a protracted stewards' enquiry after runner-up Northern Sound appeared to be left short of room at the second last.
Eric McNamara's Dawn Vision led before the final flight under Paul Moloney in the Powers Handicap Hurdle to beat Galbally Star by half a length. Leading amateur Karl Wyse was taken to hospital for chest x-rays after Dollys First took a heavy fall three out in the Sheridan Windows and Doors Hunters Chase. There was further drama in this event with clear leader Spanish Castle falling at the next to leave Nellie Gale gain a fortunate win.
Michael Kinane's stint as a club rider in Hong Kong finally achieved the desired result with an "ice breaking" success on Little Woman at Sha Tin yesterday. Kinane had to be at his strongest as the David Oughton protege (13-2) got home by a neck and a short head in the Throgmorton Plate.
The main raison d'etre for the 51,493 fans being at Sha Tin was to see the £358,491 Hong Kong Derby which went to Keen Winner (Robbie Fradd) by half a length. The blinkered Housemaster (Kieren Fallon), the Epsom Derby fourth, did very well from his unfavourable 14 winner to be second.
Kinane, having tasted past success in the classic, had to be content with ninth spot on the German import Gonlargo. Kinane was in action in Singapore on Saturday where Carry The Flag gave him a fine ride to be a close third in the inaugural £666,667 Singapore Airlines International Cup at Kranji.
The Michael Kent runner picked up the equivalent of almost £120,000 after getting beaten a neck and three quarters of a length by local champion Ouzo and the French star Jim And Tonic.
