Racing Punchestown Festival preview: Up to 80,000 people are expected to attend the Punchestown festival over the next four days but they are unlikely to encounter a bigger star than Moscow Flyer who headlines the first day's racing in the Betdaq.com Champion Chase.
Punchestown headlines in recent months have tended to include more controversial double-barrel handles like "Event Centre" but the track authorities yesterday gave an upbeat report ahead of their biggest week of the year.
"We had 72,000 people here last year but with some decent weather forecast we're looking to hit 80,000" said the Director of Racing, Richie Galway.
"There have been guestimates that the festival is worth up to €15 million to the local area but what we do know is that you cannot get in to a hotel or bed and breakfast for a 25-mile radius around here."
The return to action of Ruby Walsh after injury, an intriguing end of season fight for the trainer's title between Noel Meade, Willie Mullins and Michael Hourigan, and a total of €1.7 million in prizemoney add to the sense of anticipation but, for many, today will be all about Moscow Flyer.
The Jessica Harrington-trained star returns to the minimum trip after a spectacular success over two and a half miles at Aintree and will be long odds-on favourite to continue his remarkable chasing record against just six opponents.
In 18 starts over fences,Moscow Flyer has won 13, only failing through his own errors. Two falls and three "URs" spoil the sequence and none was more costly than the exit at four from home in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham behind Azertyuiop.
Liverpool proved that experience had no lingering aftermath and all the evidence suggests today should be little more than an end of season parade.
The forecast "yielding" ground will not be soft enough to encourage fans of Native Upmanship's stamina and the former dual-Durkan winner has a stone to find on official ratings anyway.
The other Grade One feature this afternoon is the Evening Herald Champion Novice Hurdle where the Cheltenham hero Brave Inca returns to action against a field that includes a trio of cross-channel raiders.
The unbeaten Aintree winner Royal Shakepseare and the highly rated Dempsey look the best of them but Brave Inca's biggest threat looks like coming from Royal Alphabet.
The six-year-old is also unbeaten in three starts over hurdles and overcame the long chase of Snapper Creek at Fairyhouse recently to prove he is a good ground loving novice that is still on the up.
He would be the ideal return for Ruby Walsh and the bulk of the €85,000 pot would also be a huge boost to Willie Mullins who trails Noel Meade in the race for the trainers' title which will finish at the season finale on Saturday.
Michael Hourigan has his own interest in that contest and he sends Hi Cloy for the Grade Three Ellier Novice Chase which has cut up to just four runners.
The inclusion of Nil Desperandum and the high-class English horse Lord Sam mean nothing is lost in quality but like the Power Gold Cup a fortnight ago, this could be decided by Hi Cloy's finishing kick.
On decent ground he had too much for Kicking King and although Nil Desperandum has six lengths to make up on that running, he rates a bigger threat than Lord Sam whose form suggests he needs three miles.
The opening Kildare Hunt Club Chase is a perfect example of how unique racing over the famous banks is.
Takagi, who is being targeted at the Velka Pardubicka, is officially rated over three stone a better horse than Buailtes And Fadas.
The latter, however, won twice on the course last year, looking a complete banks natural in the process. This is one event where the phrase "course specialist" carries even extra significance.
The handicap hurdle has the biggest field of the day with 29 runners and maybe Find The King, having his first start over the smaller obstacles in almost a year, can reward each-way support.
