Ireland's Team: Brian O'Connor weighs up the chances of our Festival raiders

Tuesday 2.00- Capel Cure Sharp Su- preme Novices Hurdle

Sausalito Bay (N Meade) P Carberry - 14/1

Stage Affair (D K Weld) - - 3/1

Youlneverwalkalone (C Roche) C O'Dwyer - 13/8 Fav

Stage Affair's intentions (also in Champion Hurdle) will not be certain until this morning but even without him this is a strong Irish team. Youlneverwalkalone is unbeaten and hasn't been extended in three win this season but the form has been let down by those behind him. Could only win easily, however, and will be a banker for many. Sausalito Bay is a tough exflat horse that is unbeaten in two and looks a very reasonable eachway bet.

2.35- Irish Independent Arkle Trophy

Slaney Native (J Harrington) P Moloney - 20/1

Grimes (C Roche) C O'Dwyer - 20/1

Rathbawn Prince (D T Hughes) G Cotter - 25/1

Frozen Groom (N Meade) P Carberry - 12/1

Commanche Court (T M Walsh) R Walsh - 16/1

Frozen Groom is an excellent jumper who has won all his chase starts but is not certain to relish the final hill. The Festival winner, Commanche Court, is fancied but may need further while Grimes and Rathbawn Prince like ground on the fast side. Against Bellator and Decoupage, they face a stif task.

3.15- Smurfit Champion Hurdle

Balla Sola (W P Mullins) R Walsh - 33/1

Istabraq (A P O'Brien) C F Swan - 1/3 Fav

Stage Affair (D K Weld) A P McCoy - 14/1

Theatreworld (A P O'Brien) T Treacy - 18/1

It will be a major shock if Istabraq doesn't win his third championship in a row. JP McManus's horse is bred to win a Derby but has emerged as one of the all-time great hurdlers. Theatreworld has finished runner up in this for the last three years and could do so again against an uninspiring home team headed by soft ground loving Dato Star. Stage Affair has place chances if he runs.

3.55- William Hill National Hunt Handicap Chase

Native Estates (N Meade) P Carberry - 16/1

Native Estates is not very big and likes soft ground so will do well to reach the frame. The Racing Post chase runner up Marlborough will be hard to beat.

4.30- Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Cup

Shannon Gale (C Roche) Mr G Elliot Clash Of The Gales (T Hogan) -

Pre-Ordained (F Flood) Mr R Walsh

Injury plagued in the past, Shannon Gale could get in here with a low weight and some of his novice form gives him a chance in this amateur race. Often a race that throws up a longshot winner.

5.05- Ladbroke Casinos Final

Darapour (A P O'Brien) C F Swan - 13/2 fav

Take Five (J E Kiely) N Williamson - 12/1

Coq Hardi Diamond (N Meade) P Carberry - 25/1

The Cushman (C Wilkinson) A Kelly Roscrea Travel (L Young) K Gaule Generosa (J L Hassett) Mr T Hyde - 16/1

Generosa won this last year but is set to carry the weight for that success. Darapour is a work companion of Istabraq but could be stretched by the 3m 2f trip while Coq Hardi Diamond has won on the very soft. Take Five has not won in a year but may be worth an eachway bet. The Martin Pipe-trained Take Control looks best of the British.

Wednesday 2.00 - Royal & SunAlliance Novices Hurdle

Boley Lad (N Meade) B Geraghty - 25/1

No Discount (C F Swan) C F Swan - 14/1

Oa Baldixe (N Meade) P Carberry - 11/1

No Discount beat Oa Baldixe by half a length at Naas but jumped persistently to the right throughout. A vertabrae problem was found and if that has been solved, he should run a good race. However, the English-trained Monsignor has been very impressive this season and is the banker of the Festival for many.

2.35- Queen Mother Champion Chase Space Trucker (J Harrington) S Barry - 20/1

Space Trucker will wear blinkers in a bid to add to last year's Grand Annual success. Placed in the 1997 Champion Hurdle but needs fast ground and at best has place prospects behind the hot favourite Flagship Uberalles.

3.15- Coral Cup

Native Dara (N Meade) P Carberry - 20/1

Ross Moff (A J Martin) C F Swan - 9/1 jt-fav

Phariwarmer (A L T Moore) C O'Dwyer - 9/1 jt- fav

Sandy's Native (T Doyle) - 40/1

Vanilla Man (P Mullins) T Treacy - 25/1

Ross Moff is Charlie Swan's idea of his Festival banker. Won impressively at Punchestown and has an enticing blend of pace, stamina and a racing weight for one of the toughest handicaps of the year. Teaatral is a fancied British horse but is near the top of the handicap so Swan's opinion carries even more weight.

Royal & SunAlliance Novice Chase

Alexander Banquet (W P Mullins) R Walsh - 11/2

Native Upmanship (A L T Moore) C O'Dwyer - 9/2 fav

This race is wide open following Gloria Victis's move to the Gold Cup. Native Upmanship quickened best off a slow pace to win last time but is not certain to stay and his jumping needs time to warm up. Alexander Banquet is a Festival winner from two years ago and bounced back from some poor efforts to score at Naas. He looks Ireland's best chance.

4.30- National Hunt Chase

Bit On The Hide (A L T Moore)

Fandango De Chassy (A J Martin) Mr A Martin

Farnando (M F Morris) Mr G Elliot

Spot Thedifference (E Bolger) Mr P Fenton

Brown Paddy (M Hourigan) -

A graveyard race for punters in the past but Fandango De Chassy can stop that run. A decent handicapper who should thrive over the extra distance and did some very pleasing work behind Limestone Lad at Leopardstown last weekend.

5.05- Mildmay Of Flete Chase

His Song (M F Morris) A Maguire

Feathered Leader (A L T Moore) C O'Dwyer

Nicholls Cross (E J O'Grady) N Williamson

Nicholls Cross ran an encouraging third to More Than A Stroll at Naas and looks attractively enough weighted in this. Edward O'Grady has a wonderful Festival record and Nicholls Cross has a touch of class. Feathered Leader is an Irish Grand National runner up and this pair appear to give the Irish reasonable chances.

5.40- Weatherbys Champion Bumper

Adamant Approach (W P Mullins) Doubtful

Bally Amber (W P Mullins) P Carberry - 12/1

Be My Royal (W P Mullins) Mr J Nash - 14/1

Tuesday (W P Mullins) R Walsh - 10/1

Ned Kelly (E J O'Grady) Mr T V Magnier - 11/2

Willie Mullins has won this three times in the past and Adamant Approach looked his best chance of a fourth but is fighting injury. Significantly, however, Ruby Walsh had chosen the good ground-loving Tuesday anyway. Bally Amber is a dour staying type and could be the dark horse. Ned Kelly is talented and unbeaten but his amateur rider could find his first Festival as a jockey very demanding.

Thursday

2.00- Elite Triumph Hurdle

Calladine (S Mahon) E Callaghan - 40/1

Fable (N Meade) P Carberry - 20/1

General Cloney (W P Mullins) R Walsh - 20/1

Genghis Khan (L Comer)

Topacio (P Hughes) C F Swan - 16/1

Wild Arms (E J O'Grady) - 66/1

Young American (C Roche) P Moloney - 20/1

Calico Lady (M Hourigan) P Hourigan - 33/1

Usually a punters nightmare although the favourite Katarino won last year and his stablemate Mister Banjo is a warm favourite now. The Irish have chances to foil him though especially with Topacio who will love the fast pace and Fable who looks an attracive outsider. General Cloney will need to improve his jumping and Young American was disappointing last time.

2.35 -

Bonusprint Stayers Hurdle Limestone Lad (J Bowe) S McGovern - 100/30 jt-fav)

Sallie's Girl (N Meade) P Carberry - 33/1

The most crucial race of a busy campagin for the family-owned and trained Limestone Lad (has run 10 times already). Loves soft ground and keeps up an incessant gallop. But will he like Cheltenham's gradients?

3.15- Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup

Dorans Pride (M Hourigan) P Hourigan - 33/1

Florida Pearl (W P Mullins) P Carberry - 6/1

Rince Ri (T M Walsh) R Walsh - 25/1

Third last year when not quite right, Florida Pearl did no more than he was entitled to do on the book when beating Dorans Pride in the Hennessy but the style of the win was encouraging. He was asked to compete much earlier than normal and appeared to thrive. This is an above-average Gold Cup with last year's winner, See More Business, the top novice Gloria Victis and Looks Like Trouble but an at-peak Florida Pearl is a danger to all no matter what the knockers say.

3.55- Christie's Foxhunter Chase

It's Himself (A J Martin) Mr A J Martin

Sheltering (E J O'Grady) Mr P Fenton

It's Himself won well at Haydock but likes the soft and Sheltering looks a safer bet on the likely decent surface. Both will do well, however, to cope with Mighty Moss who was only beaten a neck by Istabraq in the 1997 SunAlliance Hurdle and could be a class removed.

4.30- Grand Annual Chase

Klairon Davis (A L T Moore) C O'Dwyer

Hill Society (N Meade) P Carberry

Amberleigh House (M Hourigan) P Hourigan

Go Roger Go (E J O'Grady) B Geraghty

Klairon Davis is a light of former years but Hill Society, just beaten in the 1998 Arkle, runs well fresh and will like the ground. Amberleigh House was fifth in this race last year but should improve on that now. He jumps well, has been trained for this and looks to have a raceable weight. One to keep an eye on.

5.05- Cathcart Chase

His Song (M F Morris) A Maguire

Lanturn (P Hughes) -

His Song hasn't lived up to his reputation in the last year but has had problems with his breathing. He did beat Danoli at Naas but the best Irish hope may be Lanturn, a stayer with a turn of foot, that ran an OK pipeopener at Leopardstown last weekend.

5.40- Vincent O'Brien County Hurdle

Afarad (C Roche) C F Swan

Admiral Wings (N Meade) P Carberry

Moving On Up (D K Weld)

Phariwarmer (A L T Moore) C O'Dwyer Spokesman (C Roche) P Moloney

Hot Stuff (J E Kiely) B Geraghty

Experimental (G Lynch) N Mulholland

A huge puzzle that is an appropriate Festival finale. All the Irish have chances but then so do most of the home team. Moving On Up could be the best of the visitors but the handicap master Martin Pipe must be feared. (Prices from Paddy Power)