The white flag is normally raised at the start of a horse race. But 12 months after waving one at the end of last year's meeting, in which 13 favourites won, bookmakers will be hoping for payback time today when the latest Cheltenham Festival gets under way.
Ominously for turf accountants, the week began with Irish-trained favourite Cúpla Cáirde winning yesterday's opener at Stratford, the pre-Cheltenham meeting aimed shamelessly at euro-filled pockets.
Whether this result prefigures a repeat of 2003, or has just set punters up for the kill, will be clearer by tonight.
The Irish invasion of the Cotswolds is a slightly subdued one this year, a fact mirrored in the fate of Gold Cup hope Beef or Salmon. Last year he went to the race as a novice with a big reputation, only to crash out early. More experienced now, he will probably start Thursday's event as third favourite.
But he doesn't look the horse he promised to be, and few experts think he can prevent the coronation of Best Mate as the first horse since Arkle to win the race three times running.
After six winners in 2003, the Irish will have to settle for around four this time, according to the bookies. The "banker" should again be Jessica Harrington's Moscow Flyer, who attempts to retain the Queen Mother Champion Chase tomorrow.
Best Irish chances today look to be the Colm Murphy-trained Brave Inca in the opening race, the Novice Hurdle, and Tom Taaffe's Kicking King in the second. But it will be a major surprise if any of an Irish quartet have their noses in front at the end of the day's big one, the Champion Hurdle.
Some predictions are easier than others. JP McManus looks a racing certainty to be the week's most successful owner, while it will be a big surprise if the festival's top jockey is not also Irish. Ruby Walsh is marginal favourite to edge last year's winner, Barry Geraghty, with a particularly strong book of rides today provoking some experts to predict "Ruby Tuesday".
The Cheltenham going is expected to be officially "good" and the coming back should be OK as well despite Thursday's six-hour airport strike. Most race-goers are on multiple-day packages and should avoid problems.
