Punchestown/Day Three Preview: Solerina will try to follow up the 2002 success of her famous stable companion Limestone Lad in today's Ballymore Properties Champion Stayers Hurdle but the star mare faces a big task.
Whereas Limestone Lad relished every yard of the three-mile trip, this will be just Solerina's third attempt at the distance and the second of them, in February at Navan, resulted in the first fall of her career.
She was given a long break after that experience and returned with a win on the flat at Tipperary earlier this month.
It provided the James Bowe camp with a major confidence boost ahead of today and the in-form Shay Barry takes the ride on Solerina for the first time.
"She was carrying a lot of condition at Tipperary but has tightened up a lot since. She is fresh and well and we would like some rain. She handles that better than most," said Bowe's son Michael yesterday.
Declared to run against Solerina is Rule Supreme but if that horse doesn't turn out again Willie Mullins still could have a dark horse to upset the popular favourite.
As a Limerick winner, Our Ben has no problem going right-handed but there is something about Fairyhouse that seems to bring the worst out in him.
He was beaten a distance there earlier this season and last month was a disappointing fifth to Sher Beau.
If he hadn't run that time, Our Ben would be a bigger fancy today on the back of a fine third in the SunAlliance at Cheltenham. Ground and distance will not be a problem this afternoon and critically, as long as it's not Fairyhouse, neither should the track.
Our Ben looks a good each-way option.
British trained horses have been successful in five of the last seven renewals of the Colm McEvoy Auctioneers Champion Four Year Old Hurdle and Akilak will be a warm order to keep the streak going today.
Just seven line up in total including another highly-rated cross-channel raider in United who might just be hindered by going right-handed instead of left.
Of the home team Strangely Brown has the best overall form, including a third to Faasel at Liverpool, but if that festival, and Cheltenham, indicated anything it is that the Irish juveniles don't look as good as their cross-channel rivals.
Akilak, bought out of John Oxx's yard by the powerful owner Graham Wylie, started favourite for the Triumph Hurdle but was one of those inconvenienced by the good ground.
That won't be an issue this time and two previous efforts over hurdles were impressive enough to make that eventual Triumph third seem something of an anti-climax.
Just three runs over the winter means that freshness should not really be an issue for Akilak who can provide another Grade One festival triumph for the Wylie-Johnson-Lee team.
The Arkle at Cheltenham suggested the Irish two-mile novices were also lagging behind their British counterparts, an argument that Liverpool didn't destroy after Ashley Brook's all-the-way success.
However, such considerations are not a factor in the Swordlestown Cup which is an all-home affair that contains both War Of Attrition and Fota Island from the Mouse Morris stable.
The latter is a winner at both Cheltenham and Liverpool but he does have a distinct preference for a sound racing surface. Fota Island is unlikely to get such conditions here and he looks one to oppose despite a 150 rating.
War Of Attrition's achievements to date don't match his reputation but he will have no problem with the going and he has to be on most shortlists.
On top, however, must be Watson Lake who today gets his ideal scenario of two miles on ground forecast to stay on the soft side. Noel Meade's horse emerged best of the Irish at Cheltenham but possibly an even better effort came subsequently in the Power Gold Cup when not beaten far by Like-A-Butterfly and Forget The Past over two and a half miles.
After Like-A-Butterfly's illustrious career, JP McManus was clearly hoping for good things when he named Like-A-Bee but the seven-year-old is not in the same parish talent-wise.
However, he is at the right end of the weights in the Pat Taaffe Chase and the stamina test should be right up his street.
Ever Onward goes for three in a row in the first race while Spotthedifference's absence from the La Touche means Cheltenham runner-up Luzcadou can win this time.
One to keep an eye on is Ballyagran who won his first bumper in good style at Gowran last week.
His opposition will include Alpha Royale who won that controversial race at Cork on Sunday.
SELECTIONS
2.00-Ever Onward
2.35-Luzcadou
3.10-Akilak
3.45-Watson Lake
4.20-Our Ben (Nap)
4.55-Like A Bee
5.30-Lotomore Lad
6.05-Ballyagran
Double
Our Ben
and Watson Lake
