Rest of today's festival programme preview: The Champion Chase might be the quality but today's brain teaser has to be the Coral Cup where Rosaker looks a bet to secure some race revenge for Noel Meade.
It's four years since Native Dara emerged from the Coral pack, looking all over a winner, only to be dramatically pipped on the line by What's Up Boys.
Meade's festival frustration has extended back a lot further than that but if the champion trainer ever looks likely to get his own back in this contest then he looks to have his chance now.
Rhinestone Cowboy's late switch from the Champion Hurdle to this has ensured that amateur JP Magnier will be able to use his claim but has also given a topsy-turvy feel to what is usually one of the most competitive races of the year.
Theoretically, the likes of the Pierse winner Dromlease Express are now facing an uphill struggle being out of the handicap proper but it has also allowed some class types a real chance. None more so than Rosaker.
Originally pencilled in for a date with Baracouda and co in the Stayers', Meade quickly switched when Rhinestone Cowboy was moved and now presents us with a leading stayer racing off just 10-9. Proven on dry ground when winning on "good to firm" at Navan in November, Rosaker represents a touch of class and can make the concession from Rhinestone Cowboy count in full.
It took Willie Mullins quite a while to finally plump for the SunAlliance Hurdle as Sadlers Wing's festival race but now the decision is made he will be the main Irish hope against what many British form experts believe is the day's good thing.
Inglis Drever is owned by the big spending Graham Wylie and while a large purchase price is no guarantee of success, this horse has looked a bit special in three starts over hurdles.
The middle effort resulted in him making the 2003 Champion Hurdle fourth, Self Defense, look very ordinary at Sandown and trainer Howard Johnson had his own festival conundrum in having to choose between this and yesterday's championship.
Sadlers Wings is also unbeaten over jumps and ultimately won easily from a not 100 per cent Zum See at Navan last month. Any horse that successfully transfers such serious flat speed to hurdles is a danger in any race and Willie Mullins has already nominated the six-year-old as his best chance of a winner this week. However, he could have it all to do against Inglis Drever who is widely regarded as being just that little bit special.
Mullins runs both Mossy Green and Rule Supreme alongside Edward O'Grady's number one Cheltenham hope Pizarro in the SunAlliance Chase where there is another English-trained standard-bearer lying in wait.
Our Vic is Tony McCoy's big hope for the week and although the record of Reynoldstown winners in the SunAlliance is pretty abysmal, it is impossible to criticise the manner of his success last month. He managed to beat Rosslea a lot easier than Pizarro did at Leopardstown over Christmas but the O'Grady horse does have the considerable advantage of being a proven operator on this course.
That makes him a better option than the Mullins pair with Mossy Green just held on Moriarty form anyway while the Sue Smith-trained Royal Emperor would probably relish softer going than he is available.
If it gets to a scrap, Pizarro will be a tough nut to crack but if Our Vic is really as good as he looked at Ascot, and the Pipe team believe he is, then he may not have to tough it out.
The Mullins team have five horses in pursuit of a fifth success in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper and it will be a severe blow to the visitors if one of the 11-strong Irish team doesn't come out on top.
There is some confidence behind the Jonjo O'Neill-trained Refinement who won at Ascot in December but even before he won at Gowran, Knocknabooly was being spoken of as something special and it's significant that Ruby Walsh is on him rather than something else.
Rosslea's defection from the four-mile National Hunt Chase has thrown it wide open and although the ground may not be as soft as he would like, Boneyarrow could run a decent race.
Iznogoud looked a spent force at the start of the season but he now appears to be running into a rich vein of form just in time for the Mildmay of Flete. He followed up a Kempton success over two and a half miles with a third to Marlborough in the Racing Post Chase and should have no problems with the drop back in distance again.
