Norman Williamson should be singing in the rain today. He is will ride at the big Cheltenham meeting after a downpour in Ulster forced the postponement of Down Royal`s Champion Chase, in which he was due to partner Florida Pearl.
The Irishman can make the most of his good fortune by collecting the renamed Thomas Pink Gold Cup at Prestbury Park on the Venetia Williams-trained Davoski.
Williamson won this two-anda-half-mile feature for Miss Williams in its last running as the Murphy`s Gold Cup last year on The Outback Way.
But Davoski is more reminiscent of his previous winner Multum In Parvo, a progressive, lightly-raced young chaser who exploited a light weight in 1990 when it was known as the Mackeson.
This six-year-old has just 10st 3lb to carry as he has not been able to show the handicapper how good he is over fences yet.
Successful in workmanlike fashion on his chasing debut at Fakenham in October, 1999, he was off the course for nearly a year beforereturning to trounce five rivals in a handicap at Stratford last month.
The hurly-burly of the first big handicap chase of the 2000/2001 season should hold no terrors for him.
Barba Papa can land yet another big British prize for Tony Martin in the #30,000added Tote Bookmakers Handicap Hurdle over three and a quarter miles.
He scored at Royal Ascot in June for his Irish trainer, whose raids on this country have earned him wins in the Cambridgeshire, Swinton Hurdle and Eider Chase in recent years.
And the six-year-old went close to making another addition to the yard`s trophy cabinet when third in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket last month.
Reverting to hurdles, the smart stayer is handicapped on his twomile form - which he is likely to leave well behind now that he is given a test of stamina.
Beau will take all the beating in the Intervet Trophy Handicap Chase if in anything like the form he showed when landing the Whitbread Gold Cup by a distanceat Sandown last April.
He bypasses the Edward Hanmer Memorial Chase at Haydock Park, which is best left to Charisma Gold Cup winner Tremallt.
This progressive nine-year-old would have won decisively at Kempton but for a mistake three fences from home which drained his momentum and he can defy a 7lb rise in the weights.
Miss Williams and her jockey can complete a weekend 'Showcase' double with Milligan at Cheltenham on Sunday.
Their five-year-old looks the pick of the weights for the #50,000 Direct Answers Hurdle, judged on his smooth reappearance victory at Wetherby last month.
