Punchestown report: Moscow Flyer officially became an even better horse yesterday - and that was even before he won his final Cheltenham warm-up at Punchestown.
Well Chief's success at Cheltenham on Saturday prompted the handicappers on both sides of the Irish Sea into "upping" mode, and one upshot is that Moscow Flyer has been raised 1lb in the ratings to a mark of 179.
"Well Chief has been put up to 178, along with Azertyuiop, and by virtue of Moscow Flyer having beaten them both this season he has been put up 1lb," said the Irish handicapper, Noel O'Brien.
There was nothing in Moscow Flyer's Byrne Group Tied Cottage Chase victory to provoke any arguments with the new ratings. Instead, there was only a wholesale licking of lips at the idea of all three horses clashing again in what could be an epic Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Even Ladbrokes are finding it impossible to be definitive about the outcome and now go 2 to 1 co-favourite about each of the three horses.
It was a cruelly tight 2 to 11 about Moscow Flyer beating his four opponents yesterday, and the bare evidence of a two-and-a-half length margin over the complete outsider Steel Band might suggest a certain drama.
But yet again the former champion only did what he had to, and his trainer, Jessica Harrington, caught the popular mood with an "all systems go" attitude to the festival.
"I'm delighted with that, especially his jumping. He had to make the running and he's only ever had to do that once before, in last season's Fortria. But today he had no company and still jumped really well," said Harrington, who admitted to considerable pre-race nerves.
"I was more nervous than before the Tingle Creek," she added. "If he had been beaten that day, that would have been that. But losing today would have offended him.
"He never wins by a big margin and that's just him. It's probably why he has lasted so long. But as soon as he hears another horse he quickens up again. Well Chief was very good, but we'll have to see what happens on the big day."
Steel Band appeared to close rapidly on the run to the last, where he made a mistake, but Moscow Flyer's 17th success from 17 completed chase starts was never in real doubt.
The same could also be said of Justified's success in the Grade Two novice hurdle, a win that saw "Dusty" Sheehy's horse slashed to as low as 10 to 1 second favourite for the Supreme Novices Hurdle with Boylesports.
Mick Fitzgerald's mount led after the third last and went right away in the straight to beat Blazing Liss by 14 lengths with the disappointing Akshar only fourth.
"We just have to mind him now," cracked Sheehy, who favours the two-mile race at the festival rather than the SunAlliance. "It will depend on the ground. If it's quick we would probably have to go further, but I hope we can run in the two mile," he said.
Akshar's jockey, Barry Geraghty, told Dermot Weld that his mount hated the ground, but he later added to Moscow Flyer's success with What Odds in the National Trial.
Racing in the Monty's Pass colours, What Odds will be aimed at the Irish National by his trainer, "Tucker" Geraghty.
"The National is run earlier this year and he will have his chance. He loves Fairyhouse and has won there twice already," said the jockey's father.
In Compliance was another winning favourite in the maiden hurdle, but it was also a day for the veteran 13-year-old Mr Flowers, who made light of his years with his own 14-length victory in the handicap chase.
