Ruby Walsh might be busy at Sandown this afternoon but that only allows Davy Condon another chance to stretch his impressive recent run on Willie Mullins's horses with Deutschland at Fairyhouse.
The 22-year-old Cork jockey has won twice, and been placed three times, in his last five rides for Mullins and that includes a valuable Thyestes Chase victory on board Homer Wells.
Condon, a former top flat apprentice who rode the quirky Holy Orders in the Melbourne Cup, has made the most of his opportunities when Walsh has been in Britain and Mullins will be especially keen for Deutschland to maintain his own recent hot streak in today's juvenile hurdle.
The former champion trainer was a Triumph winner with Scolardy five years ago and looked to have another good festival prospect in Jayo only for that horse to run deplorably on his last start.
Deutschland is currently a 33 to 1 shot in some lists for the Triumph but there was a lot to like about the way he put Shazand in his place at Punchestown on New Year's Eve and he looks a type to have more finishing speed than the Gowran winner Madroos.
Other possible Cheltenham clues might be thin on the ground at Fairyhouse but the mares Beginners Chase looks an interesting contest with Bryansford Belle sure to be well fancied after a narrow defeat by Mcevoy on her last start.
Her jockey Davy Russell rode Be My Leader at Thurles last month and the switch looks significant. However, a mistake six out at Thurles put paid to Be My Leader's chance that day and her previous run behind Snowy Morning reads well.
Conor O'Dwyer skipped the big St Stephen's Day meeting at Leopardtown this season and the move to Limerick paid off with a double. The in-form rider bypasses Punchestown tomorrow for another trip to Patrickswell and Disclosure can make the move pay off in the opening maiden hurdle.
Tommy Stack's horse was only just beaten here by Jack Absolute but he didn't help his cause by running too freely in the race. The same comment applied on his Gowran debut but better ground now should help him settle. Superjet is a danger but O'Dwyer is the perfect man to deliver Disclosure on the line.
Beautiful Vision's chase career began with a bump when falling at the first on his debut in October. Four other efforts after that weren't particularly good either but Adrian Joyce looked to be getting a good tune out of him at Leopardstown last month before unfortunately getting brought down. The two-mile trip in the Beginners Chase tomorrow should suit Beautiful Vision more than Ponmeoath and Anshire Tower.
