AITMATOV'S STAMINA might not be completely proven going into the €200,000 Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle but his credentials as a genuine Grade One winner mean Noel Meade's horse still looks the value bet to win the Day Three festival feature.
The long-time ante-post favourite Blazing Bailey leads a four-strong British raid on a race that the visitors have won in three of the last four years, including the surprise 2007 heroine Refinement who is back for another crack. For his part Blazing Bailey is an entirely admirable sort of horse who finished fourth to Inglis Drever at Cheltenham and bounced back from that to win at Liverpool.
But he is not yet a proven Grade One winner, a comment that also applies to Kazal who did best of all these at Cheltenham when just ahead of Blazing Bailey. There is also a suspicion that good ground might not be perfect for either of the pair.
That could also apply to the star pair of novices taking on their elders, Venalmar and Cooldine. The latter has been prolific this season at home while Venalmar was only just touched off by Fiveforthree in the Ballymore at Cheltenham. He, in particular, looks an intriguing prospect for fences next season and there is enough natural talent there that would make a victory today no surprise. However Venalmar, and a few others among the 13-strong field, may be vulnerable to a touch of toe from the last.
Since he managed sixth in the Champion Hurdle, a suitable candidate for many will be Catch Me but on official ratings he has 8lbs to catch up on Aitmatov whose career has crept under the radar somewhat up to now.
Aitmatov doesn't have the profile of some of his stable companions but he did break the Grade One barrier in December with a hugely brave defeat of Sweet Kiln in the Hatton's Grace at Fairyhouse. Afterwards there was some debate about whether he would take the Champion Hurdle or Stayers route but that was made redundant for a while when the Meade stable went through a 50-day losing streak.
Aitmatov put in a nice run behind Kazal at Navan in February but after eventually winding up in the Stayers at Cheltenham, the Meade team in general were out of form at that festival and he struggled home in sixth. Nevertheless, he has only seven lengths to make up on Kazal from that effort when Paul Carberry understandably was not anxious to test Aitmatov's stamina too soon.
It should be very different ground conditions now, on an easier track and the Meade team are bang in form. The evidence from Cheltenham also suggests, although it isn't copperfastened yet, that three miles around here shouldn't be a problem for Aitmatov. At the almost double-digit odds still available in places yesterday, he represents real each-way value.
The day's other top-flight contest, the Cathal Ryan Memorial Swordlestown Cup, has just eight runners, including the Grade One winning trio of J'y Vole, Thyne Again and Conna Castle. The latter looks interesting on the prevailing ground conditions although the drop back to two miles didn't work for him at Aintree. Thyne Again and J'y Vole would not like the going to dry out any more, a comment that also applies to Perce Rock.
In contrast, the outsider Wishwillow Lord is versatile in terms of ground and although on official figures he has a lot to make up on the principals there is the plus that he comes here fresh after a good comeback run at Fairyhouse. Wishwillow Lord got a taste of the big time when winning a €130,000 handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse two years ago and if the main players don't fire, Leonard Whitmore's horse could spring a surprise.
It's 12 years since Enda Bolger didn't win the four-and-a-quarter mile La Touche over the famous Banks and his Cheltenham winner Garde Champetre leads two other runners from Bolger's yard. Garde Champetre was impressive last month but carrying 12.7 around here will be a huge ask and if the Bolger dominance is to end, it could come be that Wonderkid thrives on the conditions more.
Backing the top-weight in a three-mile handicap hurdle is not normally an obvious move but Take Your Mark's fast-finishing style could be perfect around here and he ran a good race in the Coral Cup at Cheltenham after being hampered at a vital stage.
