Lyreen Wonder can become the first Irish-trained winner of the Tripleprint Gold Cup for 29 years at Cheltenham tomorrow.
Leap Frog jumped to victory for Tom Dreaper when this two-mile five-furlong event was known as the Massey Ferguson Gold Cup. But now it could be Arthur Moore`s turn to take this Stg. £80,000 prize for the Emerald Isle with a rising star.
Moore also left ante-post fancy Native Upmanship and More Than A Stroll in at the five-day stage, but relies on Lyreen Wonder instead.
And why not? After being first or second in all his five completed starts last term, the seven-year-old made a tremendous start to this campaign with victory at Navan where he beat stablemate More Than A Stroll by three and a half lengths.
There are no stamina or going worries about Lyreen Wonder as he stays three miles and is a proven soft-ground performer.
Barton can lay down the gauntlet to reigning Champion Hurdler Istbraq by continuing his remarkable comeback with victory in the Bonusprint Bula Hurdle.
Tim Easterby`s imposing seven-year-old took the Pertemps `Fighting Fifth` Hurdle at Newcastle in impressive fashion by seven lengths from The French Furze after 19 months off through injury.
Unbeaten as a novice in the 1998-99 campaign, he has yet to taste defeat and can show he is a cut above the rest by disposing of highly-rated Irish raider Youlneverwalkalone and last season`s Champion runner-up Hors La Loi.
The rescheduled Tingle Creek Trophy, switched from Sandown`s abandoned meeting last Saturday and now sponsored by Doubleprint, can fall to Tiutchev.
Nicky Henderson`s charge was pleasing in his work until picking up a minor injury which would have ruled him out of Saturday`s contest.
But the in-form trainer reports that he is back in full health and the re-running of the race could have not have been better planned for him.
His success in last season`s Arkle Trophy is top-class form and he should be straight enough to land the spoils despite this being his seasonal bow.
Dusk Duel, unlucky when third to Best Mate over two miles here a month ago, can complete a double for Henderson in the Doubleprint Novices` Chase.
Norman Mason`s decision to switch Red Ark from the Tripleprint to the shorter trip of the two-mile Wragge & Co Handicap Chase can be rewarded with victory while October Mist can complete a hat-trick in the Concord Brights Filing Products `Relkeel` Hurdle.
King`s Road can follow up his success in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup in the Tommy Whittle Chase at Haydock.
Nigel Twiston-Davies` charge gave a brave performance to get back up on the run-in to beat Gingembre by five lengths and he will relish the prevailing testing conditions.
Crocadee can show he could go all the way to the top in the jumping game by winning the re-arranged Henry VIII Novices` Chase.
At Doncaster, Random Harvest looks another winner forMary Reveley in the Neville Crump Memorial Handicap Chase.
