Thurles Preview:Last year's Cheltenham Gold Cup third Forget The Past has his first start of the season over fences at Thurles today but could face a big task in the two-and-a-half-mile race against Hi Cloy.
Forget The Past is as low as 16 to 1 for this year's blue riband but he had been over-shadowed in the Gold Cup betting by his stable companion In Compliance until returning to action at Punchestown last weekend over hurdles.
That yielded a half-length victory over You Sir and his trainer Michael O'Brien is confident a quick reappearance won't be a problem for Forget The Past in this afternoon's Grade Two MacLochlainn Kinloch Brae Chase.
"He seems to be fine and has come out of the race well. He's a big, strong horse so reappearing so quick shouldn't bother him. He's nine now so he should be able to cope with races so close together," O'Brien said yesterday.
"He is over that little problem that kept him off the track in the early part of the season."
Forget The Past was a dour-staying three miler as a novice, and while he should come on for last weekend's effort, the two and a half miles remains something of a specialist trip that should suit Hi Cloy ideally.
The evidence of last year's race, when Newmill beat Hi Cloy, and of previous two and a half mile specialists such as the triple winner Native Upmanship, is that the Kinloch Brae rewards speed rather than stamina and Hi Cloy should now be coming to a peak.
The multiple Grade One winner has to concede weight but should be sharper now himself following a foot problem that ruined plans to go to Kempton for the King George. Instead Hi Cloy went to Leopardstown for the Dial-A-Bet and wasn't disgraced behind Nickname.
A 10-length success in the Hilly Way at Cork brings Tumbling Dice into the equation too but Hi Cloy's best form has always been at two and a half miles which he gets now.
Barry Geraghty teams up with Gazza's Girl in the Grade Three Coolmore mares novice chase and a clear round will see Jessica Harrington's seven-year-old go close. Gazza's Girl was still going very well when exiting at the second last in the Christmas Grade One won by Cailin Alainn and there is nothing in today's race of similar quality to her.
The Cheltenham and Punchestown festival winner Whyso Mayo returns to action in the concluding hunters chase where he faces Arctic Times, who is race fit from point-to-pointing.
Arctic Times's stable companion Time To Sell is on a hat-trick in the handicap hurdle and even a 13lb hike in the ratings for winning easily at Limerick might not be enough to stop him.
Cleni Boy goes beyond two miles for the first time in his career in the novice hurdle but the Grade One-placed horse was caught behind De Valira last time and could appreciate the longer trip.
