With less than half the field in the handicap proper, today`s #100,000 Guinness Galway Hurdle presents as great a puzzle as it ever has, but maybe Tryphaena can solve it successfully.
With the pre-race emphasis on how 11 of the 20-strong field are racing from out of the handicap, it`s somewhat ironic to see Ruby Walsh on the topweight Theatreworld.
The presence of the perennial Champion Hurdle runner-up means Walsh cannot make the minimum 9st 7lb for his regular mount Tryphaena. Theatreworld has a fine record around Ballybrit but humping the 12st to success today would be the performance of his career.
The result is that Kieran Kelly comes in for the ride on the Willie Mullins-trained mare and his 3lb claim appears to neatly negate the 2lbs that Tryphaena is out of the handicap. In such a race every edge counts.
Mullins knows that very well since he won the race with Mystical City back in 1996 and he looks to have given Tryphaena the ideal preparation.
She hasn`t seen a hurdle since winning at the Punchestown festival but has had two fine efforts on the flat, finishing a nearest at finish fourth to Media Puzzle in the Ulster Harp Derby and before that running third to Courageous at the Curragh.
One of Tryphaena`s six victories last year came over the festival course on the Saturday so she is proven on the track. In addition, there are no questions over her stamina and she has that vital dig in the ground.
It`s a powerful package to take into battle but a battle it will be with many hardy regulars fancied and Barney Curley throwing in Magic Combination to try and join Sagaman (1991) and Rushmoor (1986) as Britishbased winners of the race.
Afarad has an excellent book chance based on Punchestown form with Tryphaena but maybe will not be ideally suited by the final hill, while the pace could be a question mark against the Ascot Stakes winner Barba Papa.
The question mark against Fable is his relative inexperience while it`s an inescapable fact that the likes of last year`s third Vivo and Gift Token have it all to do handicap-wise. Tryphaena, in contrast, looks to be on an attractive mark and can secure Kelly the biggest win of his career.
The vote in the Smithwicks Handicap goes to Berkeley Bay. The in-form Michael Halford ran this one on Monday but knew his chance had gone when Tadhg O`Shea lost his irons on the filly early on.
Considering that, it was remarkable to see Berkeley Bay still in contention on the turn in and she eventually ended up just over two lengths behind Chimes At Midnight. It`s the same course and distance today but you can be sure it will be a different tack!
Montana Lady ran on Tuesday over seven furlongs and was beaten just a head by Crown Point. Now she goes a furlong further in the Guinness Handicap and has blinkers put on her. That can see her ease ahead of On Your Marks, who has already run second to Silver Spray this week.
Ruby Walsh is takento score on Keeping The Faith in the opening novice chase while a good pace will only be good news for the former Doncaster Cup winner Canon Can in the novice hurdle.
Just four will line up for the mile fillies maiden and, such is the apparent paucity of talent among those that have run, it`s hard not to nominate Dermot Weld`s Indian Ridge filly Romantic Venture as the solution and Bright Leader is nominated in the bumper.
