Barry Geraghty is renowned for being a confident jockey anyway but the in-form pilot must send confidence fizzing down the reins to every horse he rides at the moment and that little edge could wind up proving crucial to Module in Punchestown's opening day festival feature. This year's €200,000 Boylesports.com Champion Chase may lack a superstar like Sprinter Sacre or Moscow Flyer competing in their pomp but the common denominator between those two legendary names and Module will be Geraghty.
With the horse's regular rider, Paddy Brennan, sidelined with a broken collarbone, Gloucestershire trainer Tom George has turned to the Meathman who last week alone landed both the Irish Grand National and the bet365 Gold Cup in vintage big-race displays.
On top of a Cheltenham Festival that yielded a Champion Hurdle and a World Hurdle from Tony McCoy discards, it has been a purple period for Geraghty who again takes on McCoy head-to-head today, with the perennial British champion jockey on board the other big cross-channel hope Somersby.
Just a neck separated the pair at the end of last month's Champion Chase at Cheltenham when they were placed behind Sire De Grugy but there's no doubt Module was finishing best of all and in another few strides would have finished runner-up. Earlier in the season there was just a head between them when fighting out the Haldon Gold Cup finish at Exeter.
First time
Not for the first time Module appeared less than comfortable coming down the hill at Cheltenham. The view that he's talented but hard to catch right only deepened subsequently when he was well fancied for an Aintree Grade One earlier this month only to suffer a reported mild colic on the eve of the race and ended up being withdrawn.
If that was frustrating for George, the trainer’s decision to skip another clash with Sire De Grugy at Sandown on Saturday in favour of a a trip to Ireland can pay off in style against a home team that’s got depth but is hardly intimidating.
“There’s only been a neck and a head between Module and Somersby this season. Somersby has some top-class form but our horse is still young and lightly raced so you’d hope he’s still improving,” George said yesterday. “It’s disappointing for Paddy he misses the ride but we’ve not got a bad substitute!”
Sizing Europe was superstar material himself in his pomp, winning this race two years ago, and getting close to Sprinter Sacre last season. But it would take a sentimental tack to see him actually winning again.
Have opted
Bookmakers have opted for the Ryanair runner-up Hidden Cyclone as an ante-post favourite as trainer 'Shark' Hanlon's pursuit of an elusive first Grade One success continues.
Hidden Cyclone has only just come up short on a number of occasions this season and Hanlon reported yesterday: “He is dropping back to two miles but he’s a sharp horse and I’ve no worries about the trip. He has come back better than he has from any race from Cheltenham. It hasn’t left a mark on him.”
A Hidden Cyclone victory would be a popular one while there will be interest in how the Grand Annual winner, Savello, takes the step up to Grade One company. However without actually winning one, Module has already proven his top-flight credentials and the 'Geraghty factor' could help swing the decision his way.
