Those chasing a share of the Jackpot at Naas tomorrow - which is guaranteed for £12,500 - will have no trouble picking their banker in the first leg, as Limestone Lad stands out in the Bank of Ireland Hurdle.
Le Coudray's defection makes this something of a penalty kick for the remarkable eight-year-old, who was attempting something of a mission impossible when taking on Istabraq over two miles last weekend.
The fact that Limestone Lad eventually faded to fourth in the AIG was something to do with the trip and probably more to do with him having missed a warmup race at Navan.
He is an animal that takes his racing extremely well and that Leopardstown effort should have done him the world of good. He is also back over two and a half miles, and with due respect to the old stagers, Dorans Pride and Derrymoyle, it will be a huge surprise if he is beaten.
Those chasing another Jackpot banker could do worse than side with Hot Stuff in the maiden hurdle, despite the worrying presence of Charlie Swan on the top horse, Clonmel's Minella.
This one hasn't seen a racecourse since bombing home by an easy 20 lengths in a Listowel bumper in April of 1998. In this context he fits the phrase "could be anything", but Hot Stuff has a very reasonable recent run to his credit, with an eight-length second to No Discount, and is preferred.
It's Time For A Win was running a fine race before crashing at the second last behind To Your Honour at Leopardstown, but it's still difficult to see him actually beating the Christmas scorer, Saxophone, who short-headed Up For The Game, with Sallie's Girl a distance back in third. The SunAlliance Chase candidate can complete a potentially profitable weekend for Jim Dreaper and Tommy Treacy in the novice chase.
A more likely betting race is the Irish Racing Writers Novice Hurdle, where it can pay to stick with the formbook. Over Christmas, the smart exflat horse Sausalito Bay made a winning hurdling debut at Leopardstown, where he had the subsequent winner, Phari warmer, in second and Lawz over eight lengths back in third.
Lawz has since won very comfortably at Fairyhouse and the inform Pat Hughes rates him quite highly. Improvement is likely from him, but Sausalito Bay should have improved for the experience also and can confirm the form.
Ballyamber ran a decent fourth to the high class Colonel Braxton on her Leopardstown debut and that run may just give her the edge over Christy Roche's Silver Steel, an expensive second over the course last time out, in the bumper.
