Mark Walsh will bid to extend his red-hot form and secure Grade One glory at Ascot on Saturday on board Fakir d'Oudairies.
The Joseph O’Brien-trained horse has a shot at becoming the first Irish winner of the Betfair Ascot Chase since Sound Man in 1996.
He won’t lack for confidence from the saddle either as Walsh returns to action for the first time since securing a pair of hat-tricks in Ireland last weekend.
After his cross-channel trip, JP McManus’s number one rider will return to domestic duty in Navan on Sunday, including helping out the rival Gigginstown Stud team for the Grade Two BetVictor Ten Up Chase.
Michael O’Leary has four of the six declarations for a race he won last year with Coko Beach.
However with both Davy Russell and Jack Kennedy suspended this weekend, it is all-hands to the jockey pumps and Walsh is set to team up with the Troytown winner Run Wild Fred.
It’s not the first time the Ryanair boss has turned to Walsh as the rider won over hurdles on Run Wild Fred a couple of years ago. He also rode Delta Work in that year’s Gold Cup at Cheltenham.
The principal focus this weekend, however, is on the final Grade One before Cheltenham.
Fakir d’Oudairies is officially top rated for the valuable contest over an extended 2½ miles and has been steadily back into favouritism all week.
Twice a winner at the top-level already in his career, including last season’s Melling Chase in Aintree, both the trip and testing ground conditions should be ideal for the sole Irish hope.
Old rival
He chased home old rival Allaho on his last two starts but nothing of that calibre appears to be in the Ascot opposition.
Last year’s winner Dashel Drasher is joined by the veteran 2018 victor Waiting Patiently whose best days look behind him.
Nicky Henderson’s Mister Fisher would like much better going so the biggest threat to Fakir d’Oudiaires could come from Saint Calvados.
This one drops in trip having finished third to Tornado Flyer in the King George, after which Paul Nicholls was plainly unhappy with Gavin Sheehan’s ride.
“He was in front 10 minutes too soon,” the British champion trainer complained then so it’s no big surprise that Harry Cobden takes over in the plate.
The long association Walsh has enjoyed with McManus testifies to how the famously reserved jockey tends to not fluff his big-race lines.
Fakir d’Oudairies is prone to an occasional costly jumping error and has come up short at the Cheltenham festival on three occasions.
The Ryanair could again be on his radar next month but with no Allaho to contend with, this looks an all but ideal chance to win a third career Grade One.
Gordon Elliott has also looked outside his usual team of riders and booked Britain's leading jockey Brian Hughes for his runner at Musselburgh on Sunday, Burn The Evidence.
He will also have a dozen Sunday hopefuls at Navan.
As well as Run Wild Fred he has Farouk d’Alene for Gigginstown in the Ten Up as well as another good stayer in Braeside.
Should all four Gigginstown hopefuls take their chance it could prove an informative contest with Beacon Edge bringing Grade One-winning form from the Drinmore.
Bryan Cooper steps in for the spin on Farouk d’Alene who had a top-flight victory snatched away from him in the final stride of Limerick’s Grade One on St Stephen’s Day.
The winner Master McShee didn’t let the form down at the Dublin Racing Festival when runner-up to Galopin Des Champs.
Farouk d’Alene subsequently was beaten by Stattler at Naas but with up to 15mm of rain forecast to fall on already testing ground, conditions could suit the previous course winner.
Hurdles rating
Darasso is doubly declared for Gowran on Saturday and Sunday’s Grade Two Boyne Hurdle, which also sees the recent Thyestes Chase winner Longhouse Poet reverting to flights.
Martin Brassil’s Grand National hope can boast very useful hurdles form as a novice and is in impressive form having landed the Thyestes with some authority.
He has been raised to an official chase mark of 154 for that effort, 10lb higher than his hurdles rating.
Another reverting to flights for the Boyne is Dreal Deal who has a first start since December while there will be plenty of support for the doughty stayer, Ronald Pump.
Dreal Deal’s stable companion All Class will be closely examined for market moves ahead of lining up in a later handicap chase.
The mare won at the course over hurdles on her previous start and famously landed a spectacular gamble on the flat at Navan last year when backed from 66-1 to 9-2.
She is considerably higher in the chase ratings following her win at Punchestown in November but still looks a player with less than 11st on her back.
