Istabraq finally makes his much awaited reappearance, a week later than originally scheduled, in the £60,000 John James McManus Memorial Hurdle at Cork tomorrow.
It's not often that a locally-trained Cheltenham Gold Cup winner like Imperial Call is reduced to second billing but the transfer of the feature to Cork from the waterlogged Tipperary ensures that the spotlight will be firmly on Istabraq.
Aidan O'Brien's Champion Hurdler won this contest last season en-route to his truly scintillating win at Cheltenham in March. Even a subsequent defeat by Pridwell at Aintree couldn't dull the impression that Istabraq may emerge as an exceptional champion. Certainly the vibes from his connections are positive. "Istabraq looks to have strengthened up even more and we are very happy with him. The delay from last week is not ideal but we will just have to get on with it," O'Brien said.
Unfortunately for the opposition when Istabraq gets on with things the result is usually pretty brutal. Beaten only on his first ever start over hurdles and in his last even a less than fully wound up Istabraq should be capable of giving weight away to these horses.
The English raider Master Beveled won the Agfa Hurdle at Sandown last February but even his trainer David Evans seems to be hopeful rather than confident.
"You never know - Istabraq may have an off day. You must never be afraid of just one horse. A slow early pace will suit my horse as he has plenty of speed," Evans said.
Evans' initiative is to be applauded but although Master Beveled looks a more likely forecast option than the former champion chaser Klairon Davis, the novice chaser Lady Daisy or the teaktough Native-Darrig, Istabraq should really win this at his ease.
Imperial Call's rehabilitation should also continue successfully in the inaugural £25,00 City Life Cork Grand National.
For such a grandiosely titled race, the turn out of just four is rather disappointing but this will be all about Imperial Call. As long as he shows he is continuing to return to the form that made him so exciting two seasons ago, this event could take any form it likes and still satisfy the Cork racing public.
Only Anabatic has a realistic chance on the book of challenging Imperial Call but the latter jumped brilliantly on his reappearance at Limerick and Conor O' Dwyer was thrilled with him. "He did everything great on the day and really used himself over the fences. I'm not going to suggest he is back to his best yet but the feel he gave me in Limerick suggests he is getting there," said the rider.
Another interesting horse to reappear tomorrow will be the Sun Alliance Hurdle third Cloone Bridge who takes on the bigger obstacles in the Beginners Chase. Now trained by Charlie Swan, Cloone Bridge should go well but may not relish very soft going and a safer bet may be Market Lass, runner-up at Gowran to Inis Cara with Excuse Me Sir behind her.
Aidan O'Brien's Danzig filly Danzarina is unproven on very testing ground but won well at Naas and might be improving enough to take the five furlong Nursery while the other two flat races on the card can fall to the Dermot Weld-Michael Kinane team.
Social Harmony is proven on the very soft and is the sort of versatile animal that should go close in the six furlong handicap while the Tralee winner Profit Alert will not need to have improved that much to take the EBF Race.
Paul Cole will be represented by Generosity and Carry The Flat in the Italian St Leger in Turir today.
