RACING: Like-A-Butterfly got the Irish off to a flier in the Gerrard Wealth Management Supreme Novices' Hurdle last year and Back In Front will be a strong favourite to do exactly the same today.

The Edward O'Grady-trained star has returned from the bug that threatened the entire stable's festival challenge to build up what is for many a rock solid case for victory.

Back In Front won at Leopardstown from Arch Stanton in not particularly scintillating style and then beat very little in very good style at Limerick.

Whether that is enough to make him the 7 to 4 favourite the layers are predicting he will be is a different matter but the noises from the O'Grady camp have been becoming more and more positive as the big day approaches.

"The preparation has been different this year because of the problems we had but we think they are in a position to perform to the best of their ability," said O'Grady who won this race 25 years ago with the mighty Golden Cygnet.

The real basis for Back In Front's status, however, remains that third in the Bumper last year, a race that has emerged as solid form this season.

Take what he has done this term and it's hard to argue he has come close to what Kicking King has achieved and at a general 10 to 1, Barry Gerghty's mount looks a value each-way alternative.

A solid argument can be made that the best Irish novice this season has been Solerina who remains the only horse to beat Kicking King over hurdles and that was over half a mile further than he cares to travel.

Back over two miles, in a strongly run race at Punchestown, Kicking King bombed in and as long as the going doesn't get too quick he has a big shout of giving Tom Taaffe a first festival success as a trainer.

In contrast the Irish Independent Arkle Trophy presents a hot pot that is very hard to oppose. Azertyuiop was banker material even before Ruby Walsh deserted the main Irish hope Adamant Approach. The jockey's call makes the unbeaten over fences English horse a hot favourite.

After the championship events there are three handicaps to addle punters even more but in the last of them, Ted and Ruby Walsh provide a long priced runner that should go well.

No Discount is an in-and-out performer, as he proved at Fairyhouse last time when only 10th. However, his previous outing gives him a shout.

No Discount ran third to Emotional Moment and Over The Bar at Navan where Rostropovich was fourth. Rostropovich has three and a half lengths to make up but is 10lb worse off.

In a 24-runner handicap over three miles and a furlong, that will count for a lot.

Haut Cercy is 2lb out of the handicap in the William Hill National Hunt Chase but that is more than countered by his proven winning ability on good ground.

Some of that form is pretty good too including getting to within nine lengths of the Gold Cup contender Keen Leader at Sandown in December. Foxchapel King tops the weights and of the other Irish runners the O'Grady-trained Satchmo looks the most likely to go well.

The Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir may best be left to Sandown scorer Ibis Rochelais.