AINTREE PREVIEW:IT'S A year-and-a-half since Aintree hosted the first signal that Kauto Star might be a new steeplechase superstar, and today's Totesport Bowl gives Ruby Walsh's mount the chance to reaffirm his entitlement to such a title.
On the opening day of the 2008 Aintree Grand National festival, Kauto Star's reappearance after his Cheltenham Gold Cup defeat to Denman introduces a fascinating element to a seven-race card that sees just half a dozen Irish-trained horses take their chance.
Even on the run-up to Saturday's National, in which up to 12 Irish horses could be installed at today's final declaration stage, Kauto Star brings an early tingle of anticipation over the Mildmay course.
Since that 21-length victory in a handicap here in October of 2006, the Paul Nicholls-trained horse has dominated steeplechasing across the distance spectrum, landing the Grade One Tingle Creek over two miles and stretching his stamina to land the 2007 Gold Cup.
In between have been a pair of King Georges at three miles and a Grade One over two-and-a-half at Ascot in February which looked to set him up ideally for a Gold Cup repeat against his stable companion.
In the immediate aftermath of that defeat it was interesting to hear Ruby Walsh's suggestion that Ascot may just have taken the edge off Kauto Star, a comment that makes his appearance today appear even more significant.
There's little doubt Walsh and Nicholls don't believe Kauto Star produced his best at Cheltenham, so today's Grade Two race looks an ideal opportunity for some proof of that to appear.
The flat, left-handed track should be suitable, and an opposition headed by his old rivals Exotic Dancer and Our Vic looks eminently beatable.
In fact a blue-chip performance in the mould of Kauto Star's pre-Cheltenham campaign will get talk of a Gold Cup return bout against Denman stoked up nicely.
Walsh and Nicholls will also be significant players in the day-one Grade One race, the John Smith's Anniversary Four-Year-Old Hurdle, with their Triumph winner Celestial Halo.
His dominant, front-running performance at Cheltenham came on the back of a warm-up run where Walsh thought the former classic contender was a little cowardly when racing behind horses.
That front-running habit will be suitable for this tight hurdles course, and the track should also be no problem for JP McManus's Binocular, who ran second to Captain Cee Bee in the Supreme at the festival.
Aintree wouldn't, on face value, look an ideal course for a horse like the triple-Stayers champion Inglis Drever, but he is a winner here earlier in his career and the third World Hurdle he won last month proved Howard Johnson's star is as good as ever. Inglis Drever is hard to oppose in the Grade Two hurdle over three miles.
The first race over the big fences, the Foxhunters, features a pair of veteran 13-year-olds in Katarino, who won in 2005 and 2006, and Scots Grey who was victorious last year, as well as three Irish runners.
Nina Carberry's mount Where Now was placed last year and has won his three point-to-points this season. John Queally's horse may prefer softer ground, however, and a better option may be Whitenzo, whose trainer, Paul Nicholls, landed the Foxhunters with Torduff Express in 2002.
Tommy Stack's Wanango and Four Chimneys from Philip Rothwell's Wicklow yard will fly the Irish flag in the Red Rum Handicap Chase, but this looks like turning into another good opportunity for the Inglis Drever team of Howard Johnson and Denis O'Regan. Lennon has a good record around this course, which seems to suit his front-running preference. He also comes here on the back of a good run at Doncaster in February and a nice break since.
Group Captain was not in love with the testing conditions at Cheltenham and was under pressure after just two flights in the Ballymore Properties won by Fiveforthree.
In the circumstances his effort in finishing fifth was remarkable. If that hasn't taken too much out of him, the former smart flat operator will be tough to beat in the Grade Two Mersey Hurdle.
2.00Inglis Drever
2.35Kauto Star
3.10Celestial Halo
3.45Whitenzo
4.20Lennon (double)
4.55Group Captain (nap)
5.30Kingscape
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