Micko's Dream has a Gowran Park warm-up this afternoon for possible attempts at the Heineken Gold Cup and the Powers Irish Grand National, and it looks set to be a winning one.
The Willie Mullins-trained runner has already landed a lucrative pot this season in the Leopardstown Chase but hasn't run since failing to complete a Thyestes double behind Bob Treacy in January.
Lack of sharpness is not expected to be an issue, however, and Mullins said yesterday: "He has been kept going and I don't think fitness will be a problem. The idea is to run him in the Heineken or the National or both."
Ruby Walsh takes the ride on Micko's Dream in the £20,000 Callan Chase but he will be keen to keep an eye on his old friend, Moscow Express, and the Mouse Morris-trained Foxchapel King.
The 147-marked Micko's Dream comes out ahead on the ratings and will relish the forecast of "soft" ground, both factors which should make the two and a half mile trip less of an issue.
The other feature at the Co Kilkenny track is the Mount Leinster Hurdle, where Mantles Prince comes out just best on figures but that will hardly stop punters siding with Moscow Flyer.
Jessica Harrington's runner has had a fine season and was still travelling notably well when falling two out in the AIG behind Istabraq. The £150,000 Shell Champion Hurdle on Friday week is the target but this £17,000 pot could be a lucrative sharpener for Moscow Flyer.
With 120 entries balloted out of the card, it is a result in itself just to have got a run at Gowran today; and the highly touted Hedgehunter can score in the bumper for the Mullins camp, having been surprisingly beaten by Beausheram pre-Cheltenham.
