Jump racing's greatest star Istabraq makes his customary seasonal debut in the £60,000 John James McManus Hurdle at Tipperary today and considering he is already an odds on favourite to win his third hurdling championship in a row next March, it will be a major surprise if cannot again land this race at his leisure.
This has been Istabraq's launchpad to glory for the past two seasons and the result has been a peerless reputation as the game's most genuine champion. Beaten just twice in his career, his stature was illustrated during the week when British racing's most competitive and successful trainer Martin Pipe described Istabraq as a "certainty" for the Champion Hurdle.
In the circumstances then Istabraq is facing a searching first start of the season. The English raider Master Beveled was beaten twice by Istabraq last season but at least has a second to Choi-Yo at Kempton last Saturday to establish his fitness while J P McManus's other runner Khayrawani is no mug judged on Cheltenham and Liverpool wins of his own last term.
However, the horse most likely to make Istabraq break sweat is Limestone Lad, a vastly improved winner of seven starts last season, third to Istabraq at Punchestown and with a race under his belt already. He still has a lot to make upon the champion on ratings but there is no knowing his rate of improvement so his chance cannot be ignored. In the circumstances however anything but a smooth success for Istabraq cannot be entertained.
Any Saturday Leopardstown fixture usually holds centre stage but not this one as the support card to Istabraq in Tipperary is full of interesting runners. None more so than Stage Affair in the novices hurdle who like Istabraq may be at an unbackable price of most but whose performance should have long term significance.
Unbeaten in three starts over flights, the former top flight flat horse is held in very high regard by Dermot Weld. Tony McCoy is coming over to ride and smart horse though he is, Quintus could turn into just a target for Stage Affair.
More of a realistic price for most of us should be It's Time For A Win in the novices chase. A very unlucky loser at Listowel, Willie Mullins's charge made up for that with a victory at Dundalk 11 days ago and his flamboyant jumping should be too much for Coillte An Ceoil and Shannon Gale.
The two flat races on the card can both go to Aidan O'Brien's talented apprentice Colm O'Donoghue. The Buttevant, Co Cork born rider gets the lep up on Bells Are Ringing in the seven furlong maiden and although last of six to stable companion Lermontov on her debut in the Beresford Stakes, Bells Are Ringing ran conspicuously well.
She is a reasonably confident selection but O'Donoghue's mount in the Nursery Holy Orders faces a more problematic task against the likes of Summer Break and Pearl Lady. Nevertheless, marginal preference is for Holy Orders.
In contrast it is an all flat card at Leopardstown with Jim Bolger taken to continue his electric run of recent form in the two most valuable races, the £15,000 Nursery and the £10,000 JRA Handicap.
Plurabelle was talked of as a black type filly following her debut success at Gowran Park recently so it looks significant that she steps into handicap company straight away in the Nursery. It does look as though Bolger has found a suitable handicap however and Plurabelle will be hard to beat.
Dolydille steps up in handicap class following four length successes at Cork and two in three days at Gowran but looks up to it in the JRA, while another man on the double here could be jockey Declan McDonogh courtesy of Thats Logic in the Crofton Race and Iftatah in the Stepaside Handicap.
