RACING: The presence of Moscow Flyer and Commanche Court in tomorrow's Byrne Group Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown means there will be a lot more festival fallout than normal from a five-runner Grade Three.
Moscow Flyer is as low as 5 to 2 favourite for the Champion Chase and over the two-mile trip should be able to add to his current seven from 10 score over fences.
Already his total of 14 career victories from just 26 starts eclipses that of his main rival who scored the last of his 10 National Hunt wins 12 races ago.
That was in the Heineken Gold Cup of 2000 but his connections will be anxious for a good run tomorrow as he continues his build up to the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Commanche Court is a 12 to 1 shot with Powers to go one better in the Gold Cup this time round and trainer Ted Walsh said: "I would like to give him one more race before Cheltenham, maybe in another race over two miles at Naas."
The most valuable contest of the day is the €50,000 Grade Two novice hurdle where Kicking King is likely to start favourite to beat some SunAlliance and Supreme Hurdle possibles.
Kicking King himself is priced at 20 to 1 for the SunAlliance and he boasts what looks like the single best bit of form here in running second to Solerina at Navan a couple of months ago.
Tom Taaffe's horse followed that up with an easy Cork victory and gets a useful bit of weight from the Royal Bond-placed Macs Valley and Solerina's stable mate Florida Coast.
The Thyestes runner-up Takagi tops the weights in the Grand National Trial and stamina will be to the fore in this three and a half mile grueller on "soft" going.
Takagi's presence means almost half the field are out of the handicap and leaves the dour staying Delgany Royal in with an attractive looking 10-4.
The Gowran winner Doora Volunteer, described by his trainer as a "runaway", has 23lb more on his plate than last time and over the trip could have too much on his plate to run away from Rheindross in the handicap chase.
Vodka Bleu's Cheltenham credentials will get another test when The Jesuit goes in the bumper. The Cathal Ryan-owned horse looked very green at Leopardstown but his reputation preceded him that day. That experience, combined with a decent pace, should see a better performance this time.
A lot of money went down the tubes when Rapid Deployment fell at the third at Leopardstown last month. His run in the handicap hurdle should be interesting.
There will be an inspection at Musselburgh tomorrow morning at 8.30 to determine prospects for Monday's meeting. The ground is good, good to firm in places but the course is frozen.
