A new stand and new facilities add to the novelty of an Easter Sunday fixture at Fairyhouse tomorrow, but, thankfully for punters, some things remain constant and one is the respect due to a horse representing the Pat Hughes-Charlie Swan team.
Tomorrow that horse is Topacio in the O'Dea Festival Novice Hurdle, and on this decent ground the sole four-yearold in the contest can bounce back to form and beat his elders.
Topacio went to Cheltenham as a prime fancy for the Triumph Hurdle, but although Swan considered him to have the ideal combination of class and toughness for the race, the ground infuriatingly refused to stop drying up.
By Gold Cup day the going was effectively good to firm and Topacio just didn't look at ease on it. Nevertheless, Topacio ran on to be sixth behind Snow Drop, and with the weight concession from Well Ridden and Moscow Flyer, who hasn't run in almost five months, he looks the one to beat.
The other bet of the day as Fairyhouse builds up to the Grand National looks to be Valley Henry in a very competitive looking bumper.
Ranged against the Leopardstown scorer are Tuesday, who may just want the ground faster, and the unbeaten Harbour Pilot, as well as some other winners. But Willie Burke's point to point winner has a big reputation which he did nothing to diminish at Leopardstown.
The course and distance winner Mr Baxter Basics looks up to beating the Moore duo in the Freany Co Handicap Chase, while any further rain would help the Moore runner in the Beginners Chase, Muddy Connolly.
The bet of the day, however, might just be at the other meeting at Cork where Dermot Weld unveils some more of his strong, three-year-old maiden team.
The filly Still As Sweet looked far from the finished article last year but still managed a Curragh second to Cois Cuain. She could be the goods in the opener, but in the following Conna Maiden, Quality Team could be a bet.
The Dieses colt showed a lot more than previously when encountering soft ground in the Eyrefield last year and ran third to Chiang Mai despite being the stable outsider. Stamina is clearly his forte and Weld should know the score with the Oxx runner Takali.
The Curragh trainer may even make it a treble courtesy of Land- ing Slot (rated 88 on the flat), while Cockney Lad is taken to score in the Heineken Chase instead of running in the National.
