Racing/Naas Report: Jessica Harrington returned from a ski-holiday in time to welcome Well Presented's success at Naas yesterday and got some typical pre-Cheltenham gossip into the bargain.
An already electric grapevine turns white hot with rumours on the run-up to the festival and the "buzz" yesterday, inspired by a drift on the betting exchanges, was that all is not well with the Harrington-trained Champion Hurdle hope Macs Joy.
However, three years of being at the centre of the Moscow Flyer story has give Harrington sufficient practice at shrugging off such speculation and she characteristically put it in context. "These people obviously know more than me. I'm only the trainer." she grinned. "They also know more than everyone else at home because he was perfect this morning. But these things spread. I heard last week that Ulaan Baatar was supposed to have scoped badly - and that was hours before he was actually scoped!"
Festival anticipation will only get worse over the next few weeks but one horse who will escape it all is Well Presented despite his success in the Anglo Irish Bank Nas Na Riogh Chase. Robbie Power's mount made all and despite not jumping fluently he was five lengths too good for Healy's Pub with the second favourite Newmill fading to fourth.
"He's not going to Cheltenham but there are plenty of other options. It depends on what the handicapper does, but they include the Midlands National, the Irish National and there is also a three-mile novice at Aintree," said Harrington.
"He will stay all day, likes better ground and will appreciate a competitive field. His owners (BB Racing Club) are so lucky. This is their third horse and the two others were Miss Orchestra and Bust Out," she added.
The odds-on Central House duly won the four-runner Cox Memorial Newlands Chase, but he is far from certain to travel to the festival where his options are the Grand Annual or the Champion Chase.
Cashmans make him a 14 to 1 shot for the Grand Annual but trainer Dessie Hughes said: "He is rated 150 and he would need something rated 165 to run in order to give him a chance. We also have the option of waiting for Fairyhouse."
In contrast, the day's other Grade Two, the Johnstown Hurdle, fell to the 20 to 1 outsider Black Apalachi who pricked some festival aspirations with a two length defeat of Homer Wells. The favourite Southern Vic could only manage fifth. In fact a afternoon that was billed as a Cheltenham trial day didn't quite live up to expectation as Black Apalachi is not certain to take up an entry in either the Coral Cup or the new three-mile Brittania Insurace Novice Hurdle.
"We've always thought the world of him and really fancied him the last day at Leopardstown but he came with very sore shins. We will look at the three-mile race but if he doesn't go we will wait for Punchestown," said the winner's trainer Philip Rothwell.
In the circumstances then it was almost reassuring to hear a definite Cheltenham plan for Publican who sluiced up in the opening maiden at long odds on. "We decided that if he was good today he would definitely go," said an impressed trainer, Pat Fahy. He is a very, very classy horse and entitled to go anywhere. He's the best I have by far and is a proper horse because he needs fast ground." Despite that, Paddy Power went a best priced 33 to 1 for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle.
Well Presented's rider Robbie Power initiated a double on the Jim in the handicap hurdle while Mister Top Notch just held off the favourite Graduand in the bumper.
* Leading John Smith's Grand National hope Hedgehunter was reported in great shape after his victory at Fairyhouse on Saturday. The Willie Mullins-trained nine-year-old is a best-priced 16 to 1 for the Aintree spectacular after his defeat of Pizarro in the Bobbyjo Chase, his first run over the bigger obstacles since his last-fence fall in the National 12 months ago.
"He's fine, there's not a bother on him. He pulled out this morning and was very well," Mullins said. "He ate up well when he got home last night and I was absolutely delighted with him yesterday. I still don't know whether he will run again before Aintree. We'll have to see how he is and what's about."
