At 13 years old, the horse`s best days are surely behind him but since those days include Thyestes victories in 2,001 and 1999, with a third to Micko`s Dream sandwiched in between, Bob Treacy will be a sentimental favourite.

Just three others have won twice in the 48 year history of the three mile handicap highlight but while Bob Treacy might be the sentimental favourite, his market position is more likely to be among the outsiders.

The best days of the race are also surely in the past, especially since the Thyestes now appears to have more in common with a restricted handicap like the Paddy Power Chase than as an option for the top flight.

Sure enough seven of the field last ran in the Paddy Power won by I Can Imagine and the one joker in the pack looks to be Birkdale who tries to emualte Couldn`t Be Better in 1997 as a cross-channel based winner.

Birkdale however has run just twice this season, the same total as the whole of last term, and had the last of his 12 career victories almost two years ago: An improver he doesn`t appear to be.

Conditions are almost certain to veer towards the second half of the "soft to heavy" ground forecast and that could be the major factor in deciding the race in favour of the stamina laden The Bunny Boiler.

Paul Carberry`s mount never looked like catching I Can Imagine in the Paddy Power but that was on "yielding" going.

Bob Treacy`s presence at the top of the weights means The Bunny Boiler is 11lbs out of the handicap proper but stamina is the primary requirement today and the Carberry horse will surely be battling on when most have put up the white flag.

The quality runner on view this afternoon will be Sackville who goes over hurdles in the opener. A best priced 8/1 shot for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, this should prove an ideal pipe-opener for a horse who hasn`t r un since early December and is being readied for the Hennessy.

Beef Or Salmon`s jumping in the conditions hurdle will be of huge interest to those who lost out through his fall at Limerick over Christmas. A bumper win at Cork since indicates the quality of the Hourigan runner but even conceding weight a safer option could be the Thurles winner Boneyarrow.

Jenniferjo went a long time without winning but went in by six lengths at Down Royal last time out and can follow up in the last.