Florida Pearl tackles a supposed Punchestown bogey in today's Heineken Gold Cup. The country's top-rated chaser comes here on the back of a superb triumph at Liverpool where he picked up the eighth Grade One victory of his career.
But the pre-race talk yesterday was of Florida Pearl's record at Punchestown. He has run just three times on the course, and won a Durkan, but still there is talk of a hoodoo. That is surely overstating things.
That Durkan, and a 2000 runner-up placing to Native Upmanship in the same race, took place on the inner track and his sole defeat on the main course was a 1999 Heineken loss to Imperial Call. "He hasn't missed a day since Liverpool and he is in very good shape," said Willie Mullins yesterday.
Mullins also runs Alexander Banquet, who lost his rider at Bechers in the National, but the trainer added: "I'm a bit concerned about the ground drying out too much for him."
Florida Pearl's big threat could be Foxchapel King, who finished an unhappy ninth in the Gold Cup. "He was very lame in the stifle area and he had to get physio to put him right. But he is in good form now," reported Mouse Morris yesterday.
That Cheltenham run was Foxchapel King's only start since landing the Ericsson in December and he usually goes well when fresh.
The unknown quantity is Native Upmanship, who bypassed yesterday's BMW for a tilt at the longer race. "He deserves a crack at the big prize and it will help us next year when we could look at a race like the King George," said Arthur Moore.
Over the trip, however, Foxchapel King beat the Moore runner in the Ericsson and after a good break, he can stretch Florida Pearl all the way too.
The main support act is definitely Like-A-Butterfly, who will try to extend her unbeaten record to nine in the Menolly Champion Novice Hurdle. The mare is upped half a mile from her neck defeat of Westender at Cheltenham, but she is already proven at the trip having won at Leopardstown in December.
"The trip has never been a worry and I don't think it will bother her. She is in great form," Christy Roche reported yesterday.
Ranged against Like-A-Butterfly are seven others including Davenport Milenium, who bounced back to form at Fairyhouse last time.
However, it will be a surprise, even with the ground drying out, if Like-A-Butterfly cannot cope with them and cement her position as a Champion Hurdle prospect for next year.
Some of the country's top bumper horses, and three from Britain, go in the Champion Flat Race and it could see the Florida Pearl colours come out ahead. Joueur D'Estruval won narrowly at Fairyhouse, but did so from an unpromising position for much of the race and is James Nash's preference over Alexander Milenium.
Back In Front did best of these at Cheltenham when third to Pizarro and it was a long way back to Supreme Developer in seventh. But the dark horse looks to be The Biker, who made an impressive winning debut at Fairyhouse from The Galway Man.
Joe Blake got home by just three-parts of a length at Fairyhouse, after which it was reported he was likely to be let off for the season. His presence looks significant in the last.
