Rely on In Compliance

It might not be the Cheltenham version for which he was well fancied but In Compliance can taste Guinness Gold Cup glory at Punchestown this afternoon and end a frustrating season on a high note.

Today's €250,000 feature is the most valuable pot of the whole festival and with four British raiders, as well as the 2004 winner, Beef Or Salmon, in opposition, In Compliance faces no easy task to win.

However, for a horse who was being touted as the biggest threat to Kauto Star in the Gold Cup that matters most, there will be an undeniable sense of disappointment if In Compliance can't come out on top.

His huge reputation was confirmed here last December when the Michael O'Brien-trained star defeated War Of Attrition in a memorable John Durkan Chase but a planned first attempt at three miles in February's Hennessy had to be abandoned and a series of niggling problems eventually meant the plug had to be pulled on a trip to Cheltenham.

The frustration for the O'Brien team must have been considerable but it was only part of a wider anxiety as the entire yard was badly out of form for some time.

That, though, appears to have changed with De Valira coming back to win at Fairyhouse and yesterday the trainer appeared to be relatively upbeat about In Compliance coming back to his best.

"He seems fine. Obviously we won't know if he is one hundred per cent until the race but he has been all right at home," he said. "The ground won't make any difference, I think. He runs well fresh and I'd be hopeful of a good run."

The point about In Compliance running well fresh is significant and the horse has won on three occasions when coming back from a break. The obvious question mark is again the trip as this will be the horse's belated first attempt at three miles plus. O'Brien, however, has always insisted In Compliance will relish a hike in distance.

Certainly those who believe he remains the biggest potential threat to Kauto Star's supremacy next season will need to see him last home against opposition that is clearly good but probably not out of the very top drawer.

Beef Or Salmon's Hennessy triumph was memorably sentimental but it was no surprise to anyone that a fifth attempt at the Cheltenham Gold Cup didn't come off and he can hardly be as good as he was when winning here three years ago.

Yesterday, his trainer Michael Hourigan dismissed Cheltenham and said: "He just doesn't like that part of the world. I think he has a good chance and the ground won't be a problem."

Racing right-handed could mean Racing Demon emerges as the best of the British challengers, especially with Monkerhostin having an unhappy experience when heavily backed for the Grand National just 11 days ago.

Tony McCoy is an interesting booking for Sher Beau who, like In Compliance, is unproven at the trip. However, for In Compliance at least, it could be worth betting that a lot of questions will be successfully answered today.