Moscow Flyer stands up to be counted

RACING: It's almost a year until the 2005 Queen Mother Champion Chase but as Moscow Flyer passed the Martell Melling Chase winning post at Liverpool yesterday it was hard not to think that far ahead.

Barry Geraghty didn't even bother to try not to and after guiding the Jessica Harrington-trained star to a six-length defeat of Isio next year's Cheltenham festival was at the front of his mind.

"I've never doubted him and we'll be back for the Queen Mother next year," he said, the sense of unfinished business with Azertyuiop clearly still with him.

Moscow Flyer's exit at the fourth-last at Cheltenham robbed us of what was billed as the clash of the festival and Moscow Flyer did enough on his first chase start at two and a half miles to make that even more regrettable.

Native Upmanship, winner of the race for the previous two years, was 13 lengths back in third as Moscow Flyer continued his pattern of winning every time he stands up.

At the fourth from home there were only four horses in it after Le Roi Miguel fell at the 12th and Flagship Uberalles and Strong Magic were well behind. Soon there were only two to fight it out as Cenkos found the heat too much and Native Upmanship, winner for the past two years, could not live with the pair up front.

Isio held a narrow lead at the third-last, but when Geraghty pressed the button between the final two fences the race was over. After putting in a clever jump at the last, Moscow Flyer bounded clear to win by six lengths.

"Part of the problem the last day was that he had no run since Christmas and he was a little fresh," Geraghty explained. "Today he popped the fences and got into a rhythm. I was able to ride a normal race."

It's that rhythm that makes Harrington think Moscow Flyer might have a chance of lasting the three miles of the King George VI Chase at Kempton. "As long as he settles and gets into a rhythm, he's got a chance of staying," she said. "There was so much hype before the Champion Chase and I was much more relaxed today."

The Punchestown festival is next for Moscow Flyer but after the 33 to 1 victory of Cassia Heights in the Topham Chase, it was Grand National 2005 that featured in trainer Steve Brookshaw's mind. Jim Culloty guided Cassia Heights to a narrow defeat of Longshanks despite an eventful race where nine horses exited at Becher's Brook alone.

"I had a lot of near misses," grinned Culloty, who won the National itself on Bindaree in 2002. "I know my horse stays three miles so I knew he'd keep going."

Barry Geraghty was widely expected to take the Grade Two Novices Hurdle on Bold Bishop but the Jonjo O'Neill-trained horse was never a factor as only Royal Shakespeare managed to overhaul the Tony McCoy-ridden Contraband.

Steve Gollings trained the 25 to 1 winner and admitted: "At one stage I thought 'Oh my God, we'll never catch McCoy'. But the horse was very brave and he has never stopped improving."

Cornish Rebel, a full brother to Best Mate, was fancied to win his second Grade One pot in the Sefton Novices Hurdle but he never challenged and was beaten before the turn in. Instead it was Accipiter who emerged from the pack to lead before the last and hold off Grey Report.