Dermot Weld is set to saddle two high-profile contenders for next week’s Festival bumper, and is responsible for the likely favourite for the second of two races in that category today. His newcomer Fort Defiance is a well-bred son of Dalakhani, and with ground conditions drying out all the time he may be capable of obliging at the first time of asking.

Gagewell Flyer has been off the track for almost exactly a year since finishing down the field in last year’s Festival Bumper, but that is unlikely to prevent bookmakers putting the Deploy gelding in short for the 2m3f maiden hurdle. Taking Stock and Bootlegger have already shown enough ability to suggest they are well capable of taking advantage of any ring-rustiness or jumping mistakes from Willie Mullins’ charge.

Forestside caught the eye when making late progress into third behind Grey Soldier at today’s venue last month, and provided French import Sweet My Lord isn’t a superstar can go a couple of place better in the opening 2m maiden.

Just eight runners are set to go to post for the €32,500 contest, and quite a few of them have been out of sorts of late. Rare Bob himself disappointed on his most recent public appearance at Fairyhouse in January but that was his first run since landing a Grade 1 novice chase at the Punchestown Festival and he is sure to be a lot sharper now. Kings Advocate may give him most to do.

Zaarito’s career over fences to date has been blighted by jumping frailties, but Colm Murphy’s charge has been found an excellent opportunity top bounce back from two recent falls in the 2m4f novice chase. The likes of Beckett Rock, Pesoto and Whatuthink all have questions to answer themselves, while recent hurdle winner Lastoftheleaders is worth watching for future reference.

Whodoyouthink was far from disgraced against Dunguib and co in the Grade 1 Deloitte Novice Hurdle last time and has obvious prospects of capitalising on a drop in class in the opening 2m novice hurdle. The promising Silver Friend, unbeaten in two starts}, will probably give him most to do.

The concluding bumper has been won by such classy types as Coole River, An Cathaoir Mor and Venalmar in recent years, and the former’s trainer Jessica Harrington may have the answer once more in the shape of Fairyhouse runner-up Oscars Well.

Michael Cunningham’s ten year-old, who has blinkers fitted for the first time today rather than the usual cheek pieces, will have the assistance of last year’s successful jockey Paul Townend. The novice Sigma Lifestyle, another with headgear applied for the first time, may give him most to do.

Last time out winners Miss Mary Mac and Spare Shilling clash with useful types Maryiver and Rossdara in the valuable mares novice hurdle. The first-named may well justify the long trip from her Co Clare base if fully wound up for her first start since September.

Mighty Massini, representing local handler Colin McBratney, sets the standard in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Chase, while recent Fairyhouse scorer Nedzer’s Return ought to be very hard to beat with a reproduction of that effort in the hunters chase.

Owner Rich Ricci, one of the sport’s great enthusiasts, is a banker by trade and openly admitted that the risk-taker in him would lean towards letting his star make the trip. However the engaging American also spoke of being conscious of the fear of jeopardising future Gold Cup bids, and as such he will take the valuable counsel of Walsh and trainer Willie Mullins on board before a final call is made on this most delicate of matters. It would therefore be no surprise if it is felt more prudent to delay “Mikael”’s eagerly-awaited reappearance, and if that scenario does indeed materialise perhaps an easier starting point in an ordinary beginners chase followed by another trip to Punchestown could be on the cards.
______________________________________________________________________________

It’s only two weeks now until the biggest week in the racing calendar, and Cheltenham Festival preview season is once again in full swing. I must admit that with the country slipping further into recession over the past twelve months it would have been no great surprise to see interest in these events nosedive, but it appears nothing could be further from the truth ; if anything there are more than ever this year, spread across the length and breadth of the country, many of them featuring high-profile names from cross-channel.

I already have two under my belt, including a particularly raucous affair after racing at Leopardstown which eventually drew to a close just before midnight. Several members of the crowd appeared a touch the worse for wear after presumably spending the entire day at the Dublin track, and one gentleman in particular had a real bee in his bonnet regarding War Of Attrition’s reported unlikely participation in the Grand National. (Yes I know it’s a Cheltenham preview, but sometimes it’s impossible not to digress). With no Mouse Morris to vent his ire upon, the punter in question focussed his attention on the former Gold Cup winner’s regular rider Davy Russell and when not even the latter’s revelation that he would try to persuade the camp to reconsider their decision could placate him it was finally time to sound the bell for the end of the round.

Further trips to the likes of Wicklow (tonight), Limerick (Thursday), Belfast (next Monday) and Omagh lie ahead before the circuit finally winds down in my home town of Malahide on Thursday week, and I will be very grateful for the opportunity of giving the batteries a much-needed recharging prior to the annual pilgrimage to the Cotswolds.

As far as the competitive fare is concerned, the Grade 2 Newlands Chase – transferred from Naas – tops the bill and Tranquil Sea’s connections will be optimistic that their pride and joy can take the 2m contest en route to a tilt at the Ryanair Chase. Aran Concerto, Made In Taipan and Grand National hopes Snowy Morning and Ballyholland are also among a really good field.

Citizen Vic sprang a mild surprise when capturing the Grade 1 Dr PJ Moriarty Novice Chase here on Hennessy Day and if coping with the drop to 2m1f should be very hard to beat in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Chase.

Araucaria, who is many people’s idea of a lively contender for the Festival Bumper, will need to win the finale to justify the trip to the Cotswolds.

There are several likely short-priced favourites at the day’s other fixture at Clonmel, and Taradoun may prove the pick of them in the 2m4f beginners chase now that Dallaglio is an absentee.

Pittoni is unbeaten in three starts over hurdles since joining Charles Byrnes from John Oxx and in receipt of weight from his five rivals the four year-old is probably the one to beat. Coole River put up a fine performance to defeat the highly-regarded Quel Esprit at Leopardstown but the softer ground, drop in trip and hefty weight concession all round must all be concerns and a greater threat may come from Thegreatjohnbrowne, who is much better than he showed last time.

Cayo Levantado landed a monster gamble at Punchestown ten days ago and plenty of his backers will be happy to support him again off a 10lb higher mark in the 2m4f handicap hurdle. Retrievethelegend, who ran well on his recent return to action at Naas, could go well at a price.

Barneys Honour took advantage of a nice mark when scoring at Fairyhouse on Wednesday and holds obvious claims under a 6lb penalty in the 2m1f handicap chase, where Manhattan Boy is capable of a better effort than his recent form figures might suggest.

Ground conditions had deteriorated significantly by the end of yesterday’s meeting at the Co. Tipperary venue, and as a result the emphasis is likely to be on stamina in the rescheduled Nas Na Riogh Novice Chase. Arkle Cup hero An Cathaoir Mor is the headline act in the Grade 2 event, but life will not be easy with his penalty and Jagoes Mills and Kempes – neither of whom were in the original field – provide stiff opposition.

The form of Lurgan’s second to Telenor at Navan in December was hansomely boosted by the winner recently, and though Dessie Hughes’ charge disappointed at Limerick next time the stable is in better form now and he could be worth another chance in the 3m beginners chase. Warcraft and the very useful P’tit Fute stand in his way.

Pat Smullen, who is determined to wrestle the flat jockeys’ crown back from Johnny Murtagh, jets in from Dubai to ride for boss Dermot Weld at the polytrack fixture and the pair hold several obvious chances.

Another former champ, Declan McDonogh, partners the evening’s hotpot in the 2m maiden. Oliver McKiernan’s promising young hurdler Whodoyouthink should take plenty of beating, though Hans Crescent is capable of making a race of it.

Racing opens with a 2m maiden hurdle where Siberian Tiger is likely to be hard to beat for the Tony Martin/Ruby Walsh combination. However The Big Mosquito, partnered by the latter’s great rival Davy Russell, took a big step forward when runner-up last time and should give him plenty to do.

Willie Mullins added another bumper to his seasonal tally at Fairyhouse yesterday and is represented in both races in his specialist category this afternoon. Both are newcomers, and Laganbank in particular could face a tough task against the promising Asymmetric Sam in the first of them.

Ad Idem didn’t enjoy the clearest of runs when second to the useful Mr Cracker at Navan last time and has obvivous prospects of going one place better in the 2m6f maiden hurdle.

It was five years ago that Kicking King made a spectacular recovery from a problem that at first looked certain to sideline him for the festival to win no less a race than the Gold Cup itself. All had been going well with the gelding’s preparation for the big day until an untimely ailment resulted in a potentially crucial interruption to his training regime. Connections were understandably devastated ; it suddenly appeared that months and months of careful planning had cruelly gone up in smoke. However so unexpectedly speedy was his recovery that trainer Tom Taaffe soon realised he may have been a trifle hasty in ruling his charge out and made a public volte-face to that effect. Kicking King duly turned up for the gig fighting fit, was sent off a well-supported 4/1 favourite and the rest as they say is history.

With Master Minded seemingly back to his best and set to start a red-hot market leader, the Goat Racing Syndicate’s pride and joy will be nothing like as short a price as Taaffe’s star but there are nevertheless remarkable similarities between the two cases. Just over a fortnight ago Charlie Chawke, head of the horse’s enthusiastic band of owners, announced that due to lameness trainer Tom Cooper had informed them that ‘Forpady’ would need at least three weeks of box rest – making Cheltenham a no go and leaving Punchestown as his new target. Bookmakers removed him from their lists and ante-post punters thought they had done their dough before a ball was kicked, so to speak. But scarcely had there been time for any disappointment to manifest itself in earnest than the dream was back alive. A second examination by the vet revealed that the healing period from the bruised foot would be much shorter than he had originally forecast. It would be a case of softly, softly but now there was real hope again.

The story took a further twist last week when another member of the syndicate spoke of a pleasing ‘serious piece of work’ over around 1m4f on the Curragh, only for jockey Paddy Flood – the man purported to have ridden him – to come out and deny that he had ever sat on the horse. Cooper did confirm though that he was very happy with the exercise, whoever was on board, and this Sunday’s post-racing gallops at Leopardstown may represent the next step along the road. A few trigger-happy layers could be shifting rather uncomfortably in front of their laptops on St Patrick’s Day if all goes well there.

Matt O’Connor has endured a rather frustrating time since returning from serious injury, but the young jockey has an excellent chance of making a belated return to the winner’s enclosure in the beginners chase. His mount Kimberlite King has already shown good enough form to land an average contest such as this, and it will be disappointing if he fails to dispose of Erritt Lake and co.

Veteran Clear Gold, one of several good chances for Ruby Walsh during the afternoon, has given a strong indication that his turn might not be far away on his last two outings at Punchestown and should be difficult to beat in a decidedly ordinary 2m handicap chase. Barneys Honour looks easily the pick of his eight rivals.

Lord Cebellino returns to the smaller obstacles for the 2m4f handicap hurdle with obvious prospects following a recent victory in a Navan beginners chase, while Hellyhunter could give Davy Fitzgerald a boost by taking the opening maiden hurdle.