IF the Stewards would only give permission to Opera Hat to jump around the chase course while his rivals go over the hurdles, he would look a remarkable blot on the handicap in tomorrow's Naas Handicap Hurdle.
He has developed into a splendid course specialist and this 2m 3f is his perfect distance. However, the difference between Opera Hat as a chaser and Opera Hat as a hurdler is shown by the very contrasting ratings of Noel O'Brien, the senior National Hunt Handicapper.
He rates Opera Hat at 145 over fences, up amongst the best of the handicappers, whereas over hurdles he qualifies for a mark 36 lengths lower at 109. He is in such good form at the moment though with a recent course victory over Merry Gale to his credit, that he may well do the job in hand.
It is a competitive race though, with the top weight Kharasar also coming back from chasing. However, his forte is hurdling and at the 1995 Christmas Meeting at Leopardstown he won the Grade Two December Hurdle from Sambara.
If Double Colour has lived up to my expectation at Navan, there could be an additional advertisement for Stylish Allure with Strategic Ploy, who was fourth - a short-head in front of Double Colour - looking a very lively challenger in the Fishery Novices Hurdle.
Arthur Moore, with only two horses marked out for Cheltenham - Klairon Davis and Manhattan Castle - has plenty of fancied runners over the week-end at home.
One interesting runner is the once raced Chateau Martin in the opener. He finished eighth to Bukhari over Christmas and this was a race that has thrown up its share of future winners.
Ecliptic Moon was backed to favouritism at Listowel and, handling the testing ground, won by six lengths. Off a new mark in the handicap, he still should be good enough to win again for Paddy Mullins.
A Listowel loser that looked sure to win before long, was Garryduff Supreme. He was the outsider of the Aidan O'Brien pair but finished well ahead of the `selected' Mega Gale in running second to Vital Issue, who had won a point-to-point this season. I nap Garryduff Supreme to see off Michael Halford's Rash Reflection.
