Fairyhouse Saturday preview: Today's Fairyhouse card has its own Graded highlights but even they will be eclipsed for many by the second start of the exciting Martinstown in the bumper.

The JP McManus owned four- year-old, a brilliant winner of his only race at Naas last month, is already a 6 to 1 favourite with Cashmans for the Cheltenham bumper.

"We have had plenty of bets on him already which is unusual for this time of the year," a Cashmans spokesman confirmed yesterday.

However, the difficulty of Martinstown's task was being talked up by trainer Christy Roche yesterday, especially the threat posed by Noel Meade's De Jure.

That horse has also won his only start at Down Royal and Roche said: "He beat Coolfore Glen by further than my horse did so I have plenty of respect for him. I think it will be a right race between the two."

Martinstown will again be ridden by Roche's son Pádraig and while the youngster may not enjoy as motionless a trip as he did at Naas, Martinstown still looks the horse to be on.

Those followers of Nil Desperandum in tomorrow's Drinmore will be looking to Central House for a confidence booster in the Beginners' Chase. This one only failed by a short head at Punchestown and brings an undoubted touch of class from novice hurdles last season.

The Grade Three Juvenile Hurdle usually throws up a leading young hurdler including Golden Cross who won it 12 months ago. This time around Michael Halford relies on the filly Berkeley Note who showed an admirable attitude to win on her jumping debut at Punchestown. There was only a head in it to Silk Screen but Halford indicated afterwards he thinks Berkeley Note could go right to the top of the juvenile tree.

What Odds is the dark horse in the Porterstown Handicap Chase but could be the leading light by the end. Carrying the Monty's Pass colours of the Dee Syndicate, the former top hunter has a 115 rating that doesn't look set to ruin his chances despite the presence of some seasoned handicapppers.