TONY MARTIN endured a frustrating Cheltenham but punters appear to be putting their faith in the "handicap king" getting it right once more with Royal County Star in Easter Monday's Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.
Royal County Star is currently a best priced 13 to 2 favourite in ante-post betting for the National which Martin won in memorable fashion seven years ago with Davids Lad.
An easy winner of Navan's Troytown Chase last November, when another significant gamble was landed by a Martin runner in a top handicap, Royal County Star's only start since was when unplaced over hurdles late last month.
Martin went to last week's Cheltenham festival with a number of well-fancied chances but soft ground ruled out his major Coral Cup hope Leg Spinner and Psycho came up three parts of a length short of the 50 to 1 shot Silver Jaro in the County Hurdle.
Patsy Hall, one of six Martin entries in total remaining in the Irish National, jumped the last ahead in the William Hill Handicap Chase at Cheltenham but faded to fourth while the favourite Wonderkid managed only sixth in the Cross-Country Chase.
However with the veteran 10-time Grade One winner Beef Or Salmon set to top the weights on Monday, Royal County Star is set to carry an attractive looking 10.4 in a race won by Jonjo O'Neill's Butlers Cabin last year.
O'Neill has the option of running last week's SunAlliance Chase winner Albertas Run in the Easter feature while another cross-channel trained festival winner Old Benny is as low as 7 to 1 with Paddy Power to make a successful foray across the Irish Sea.
Sunday's Fairyhouse highlight will be the Powers Gold Cup which is set to attract top novice chasers like the Grade One winners, J'y Vole and Sky's The Limit.
A total of 15 entries remain in Saturday's Grade Three Betfair Novice Chase including the high- class Clopf who unseated Andrew McNamara at the first fence of last Tuesday's Arkle at Cheltenham.
Looking ahead to next month's Punchestown festival, Paul Nicholls has opened the possibility of his brilliant two-mile champion chaser Master Minded having one more start this season in the Kerrygold Champion Chase.
Nicholls said yesterday: "Immediately after his race at Cheltenham, I was not thinking of running him again but I have had a look at the programme book. At Punchestown, five-year-olds still get a 7lb allowance which he didn't have at Cheltenham. That would be very attractive.
"I've mentioned it to Clive (Smith) so we will enter him and have a chat about it.
"There is an outside possibility, if we're all happy, that he could run there. After all he is not going to run again until the Tingle Creek which is a long way away."
Pat Hughes is also planning a crack at the Punchestown Festival with Farmer Brown following his creditable run in the Champion Hurdle. The seven-year-old, who won the ultra-competitive Galway Hurdle earlier in the season, finished eighth at the Cheltenham Festival and his handler is now eyeing compensation closer to home.
Hughes said: "He was probably interfered with at the last and might have been fifth but for that. He was on the heels of the leaders but just couldn't get there. When he was interfered with, that was his chance really gone. I would say he will (go to Punchestown). He will probably go for the two-mile hurdle at Punchestown (ACCBank Champion Hurdle)."
Fellow Irish runner Sizing Europe was sent off the 2 to 1 favourite in the Champion but trailed home last of 14 finishers after looking a likely winner two-out.
Hughes was not surprised by the eclipse of Henry De Bromhead's market leader as he feels the form of his AIG Europe Champion Hurdle win did not stack up.
"I was never a fan of Sizing Europe for the Champion Hurdle. I actually fancied the winner and my son backed him, but I didn't have a bet in the race," he said
JP McManus could have a successful afternoon at Naas today where the champion owner looks to have good chances for a treble.
Arbor Supreme has been slogging it out over marathon three and a half mile trips on his last two starts but his overall form gives him the clear winning of the Beginners Chase.
Christy Roche supplies Wheels Up for the novice hurdle and this easy Clonmel winner has had his form boosted by Ballydungmanor recently.
His previous start doesn't look bad either considering that was a second to Fiveforthree at Fairyhouse. Wheels Up has Mourne Rambler to beat but looks to be on the upgrade.
Roche also has Ardistan in the maiden hurdle and there should be significant improvement from this one's jumping debut at Punchestown, enough to cope with Dermot Weld's newcomer Gentleman Jeff who was Ardistan's inferior on the flat.
BETTING: (Paddy Power): 13-2 Royal County Star, 7 Cailin Alainn and Old Benny, 10 Pomme Tiepy, 12 Abbeybraney, 14 Albertas Run and Alexander Taipan, 16 Bar.
