Micko's Dream may have appeared a somewhat lucky winner of yesterday's Cuisine de France Thyestes Chase, but that won't dilute the hopes surrounding him for the most famous race of all, the Aintree Grand National on April 8th.
The Willie Mullins-trained horse was a thoroughly deserving winner, however, having been sent straight into the lead by Jason Titley and inviting the rest of the field to take a shot at him.
But it seemed an invitation that the 10 to 1 shot Clash Of The Gales looked set to accept when she passed Micko's Dream and took a two-length lead to the second last. But she crashed and Micko's Dream was left to hold off his stable companion Palette by two lengths, with the top-weight Bob Treacy third and Sydney Twothousand fourth.
Micko's Dream and Titley, who also won the 1992 Thyestes with Grand Habit, returned to a stirring reception from the winning Sport Racing Club, which is made up of 24 prison officers who are based throughout Ireland and bought Micko's Dream 18 months ago.
This was the gelding's eighth win, but the greatest success of all may yet be in the offing and Cashmans quote Micko's Dream as low as 25 to 1 for Liverpool.
"We'll look at the weights when they come out next week but, if the owners are keen, I'm keen to go for the English National," said Mullins, while Titley, who won the National on Royal Athlete in 1995, gave an upbeat bulletin.
"He jumps like a National horse and is brave and clever too. He also has enough pace to stay out of trouble there," said Titley who benefited from his first experience of Micko's Dream when down the field in the Paddy Power Chase.
Barry Geraghty's day began disappointingly when the 8 to 11 Dr Torus, afterwards found to be in respiratory distress, jumped poorly in the maiden hurdle and faded to fourth behind Ojay. But the jockey picked up afterwards with a couple of winners including a possible Cheltenham hope.
The well-backed Jim Gorman-trained favourite Parkgate trotted up in the conditions hurdle and has a host of entries to pick from in the spring.
"He's in both novice races at Cheltenham, but I'd like to avoid meeting Youlneverwalkalone who beat us fair and square," said Gorman. "You have to be realistic and it's possible we could run at Liverpool and Fairyhouse and Punchestown which all come pretty quickly. But at the moment the plan is Cheltenham."
Geraghty doubled up and brought his seasonal total to 52 on Bedthem Prince, who had the Careys Cottage Handicap Chase won from two out and ran out a length and a half winner from the favourite Lord Dal.
Charlie Swan was at his patient best on Kings Valley in the second maiden hurdle, leaving it till the run-in to collar the flattering favourite Minella Hotel. But the former champion was out of luck in the handicap as Why Bother couldn't get to grips with the other joint favourite, Tippthecat, who won for the former Thyestes winning trainer Tom Cahill.
Le Coudray is likely to miss a clash with Limestone Lad and Dorans Pride in Sunday's Bank of Ireland Hurdle at Naas, and Aidan O'Brien may run his stayer at Cheltenham without a warm-up race.
"He's had a break and we don't want to give him a hard race now with Cheltenham in mind," O'Brien said yesterday.
