Leopardstown preview: With €190,000 up for grabs in the Paddy Power Chase, it's no surprise to see a bumper, 27-strong field for today's Leopardstown feature. But even that huge betting prospect won't shake the huge interest that will still revolve around the reappearance of the veteran champion Moscow Flyer.
It's just over eight months since Jessica Harrington's superstar landed a second Champion Chase that put the seal on his colossal reputation. Yet remarkably, he comes here, it seems, to face four opponents in a Grade One pot with something to prove.
A Fortria Chase defeat by Central House at Navan last month has sent doubters into overdrive, pointing to Moscow Flyer being only days away from his 12th birthday and muttering dark thoughts about time waiting for no horse, even one as good as this one.
Whether it's right to put so much emphasis into a single sub-par performance is open to question, but one result could be that Moscow Flyer starts at an SP this afternoon that would have been quite unthinkable last year.
Ranged against him will be some of the usual suspects he has regularly put in their place before, and even though Central House and Hi Cloy come here in the form of their lives, a fully-charged Moscow Flyer would still be expected to repeat the dose.
The vibes from the Harrington yard have been encouragingly more positive in recent weeks, and the stable's runners yesterday performed with enough credit to suggest rumours of Moscow Flyer's decline have been exaggerated.
If his followers are still looking to Cheltenham in March, there is no question that today is the day for the majority of the runners in the big money handicap.
Ever since Jaquouille finished runner-up to Keepatem 12 months ago, a return for the 2005 Paddy Power has been on the cards, and Arthur Moore is a trainer to be feared when he has a long-term handicap in his sights.
As a result, and an encouraging run over hurdles recently, Jaquouille is a likely favourite.
Equally unsurprising is the reality that threats abound. JP McManus is going for a three-in-a-row, and a fourth success overall, in the three-mile event, and Tony McCoy's mount Adarma looks like she could be the best of his trio.
At her first attempt at three miles she ran fourth to Prince Of Tara in the Troytown, and that race could hold the key to today.
Prince Of Tara won at Navan, but like many of this field he looks one that might appreciate a slightly softer surface.
In that context, Monterey Bay looks like he could be the safest option overall. The €108,000 first prize would more than double Monterey Bay's career prize money total, but he was only just denied a big pay-off in the Kerry National, and received an upbeat bulletin from Frances Crowley yesterday.
"It's a lottery, but he is in great form and the better ground will suit him," said the classic-winning trainer yesterday. "He can appear like he is running a bit free but he does keep going."
That's the sort of criteria for a test like this and Monterey Bay looks an each way option against Adarma and possibly the ante-post gamble Knock Knock.
Wanango didn't jump particularly well, and also had to concede weight, when winning at Haydock last month. In that light, he looks a horse of some potential, and if his jumping has tightened up he will be a threat to all in the Grade Two novice hurdle.
Paul Nolan secured the Cheltenham winner Dabiroun from John Oxx, and Trefflich, rated in the 100s on the flat, has come from the same source. He is an interesting runner in the maiden hurdle, but there is no getting away from the 127 rating of another ex-Oxx horse, Barati.
Noel Meade's horses are in fine form and he introduces an interesting newcomer in the bumper, Snow Tern, who is a winner at the competitive Ballynoe point-to-point.
