RACING/Today's Preview: Native Upmanship usually falls between two stools in the top championship races but today's Martell Melling Chase at Aintreecould have been designed with him in mind.
The Arthur Moore-trained star thrived in quick conditions last season and is bidding to try and become the third double winner in the race's 13-year history.
Critical for Native Upmanship is the two-and-a-half-mile trip. It's ideal for a horse just lacking the pace for the top two-mile races and whose stamina starts to leak in the closing stages over three miles.
The other two-and-a-half-mile "ideal" in the season is the Durkan at Punchestown and it's no coincidence that Native Upmanship has won that Grade One twice.
"The trip is perfect and the ground shouldn't be a problem," said Moore yesterday. "He has been well since Cheltenham and we're hoping he can do what he did last year."
The ground was generally riding on the soft side of good yesterday but it should not get worse than that with a dry forecast.
Four of Native Upmanship's five opponents this afternoon are specialist two milers that still failed to finish ahead of their big rival in the Champion Chase.
The exception is Wahiba Sands but Cenkos, winner of the Maghull Novices' Chase three years ago on the course, could be the danger to Native Upmanship.
Hardy Eustace and Pizarro, the official one-two in the SunAlliance, clash again in the Grade Sefton Novices' Hurdle but the Irish pair look to have it all to do against Iris's Gift.
Barry Geraghty's mount put the SunAlliance ratings firmly into the shadows with his remarkable effort in the Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham.
It was the sparkling young grey, rather than Limestone Lad, that put it up to the outstanding Baracouda and if that race hasn't too much out of Iris's Gift he presents a huge obstacle to the raiders.
It remains to be seen how Pizarro tries to reverse placings but Hardy Eustace is such a teak-tough operator that faster going should not be a problem.
Indeed, there may be some that view quicker ground as a possible problem for Iris's Gift. But that ignores the decent going on the last day of Cheltenham and a couple of previous victories on even faster conditions.
But today could still be a bit of a bonanza for the Irish especially if Macs Gildoran gives Willie Mullins a second successive success in the Topham over the big fences.
It's Time For A Win was a first Irish victory in the Topham since 1979 but Mullins has clearly cracked the code and Macs Gildoran brings solid credentials to the party. A third to La Landiere in the Cathcart at Cheltenham is as good a piece of form as anything else in the race and the Mullins team has shown signs of a return to form generally.
Rathbawn Prince was also placed at Cheltenham, in the Kim Muir, and the flat three miles of the opener can reward Dessie Hughes' decision to bypass the Topham.
Glenhaven Nugget looks the top Irish hope for the Grade Tow novices' hurdle but the visitors have a poor record in this with only one winner in the last 25 years.
Tony McCoy is on Don Fernando but a bit of value in this should be Jaboune. Alan King's horse is a tough operator who ran fifth in the County Hurdle.
