Today's Supreme Hunter Championship looks the most open for years, with several top horses failing to get through Tuesday's rigorous veterinary inspection.
Co Antrim showman Mr Hugh McCusker, whose horse Cowboy Magic Montana scooped the Supreme championships at both Balmoral and the Royal Highland, was denied his chance of the hat-trick when the six-year-old son of Regular Guy was vetted out. Also spun was Mr James Kelly's Otto, champion at both Bannow and Waterford this year and reserve champion three-year-old in the RDS two years ago.
Since the disappearance of these top contenders, the form book has been torn up and thrown out the window, with last year's heavyweight champion Trigger's Law dropping to fourth in his class, and Ms Sally Roche's Cork champion Imperial Icon also sliding to fourth under Mr George Mernagh, who rode Parknasilla to the Supreme here last year.
Lurgan owner Mr Samuel McAteer has a double handful for today's heavyweight cup in his four-year-old winner, Regent Street, and his two-year-older stablemate Easy Street. But both will come up against Mr Tony Lockwood's five-year-old winner Caruso, in the experienced hands of Ms Frances Cash, whose last Supreme winner was the 1998 champion Formidable. Toni Gargan's home-bred Ginnetts Nadia will line out for the medium-weight cup, along with Ms Jane Bloomer's Gilt Edge, which took the senior class for Bloomer's 18-year-old son Gerald. Also in contention is Mr George Chapman's Jungle Power and Mr William McCormack's Lurgan Hill. Ms Sylvia Clifford's 1999 medium-weight champion Tyrella Stormy Weather did not appear to defend his title.
Ms Helen Troughton's Silken Crisp, winner of the senior lightweights, looks a strong contender for the weight cup, but will have to fight off the mare Fenya, which has the Newcastlewest and Belgooly championship honours to her credit.