If precedent is anything to go by, then today is the day to follow the Irish. Last year, four Irish-trained horses won on the second day of the festival, and two of those, Opera Hat and Khayrawani, come back to try to follow up.
Opera Hat was hardly an obvious victor in the Mumm Melling Chase 12 months ago, but circumstances combined to give John Fowler's mare a famous success.
The fatal fall of One Man removed the main danger, and the exceptionally soft going allowed Opera Hat to grind the rest of the opposition into the squelchy ground.
Since then, Opera Hat has not been as impressive, but she showed a glimpse of her old form when she split Papillon and Hill Society at her favourite track, Naas, and Fowler is not inclined to disregard her chance, even against the current two-mile champion, Call Equiname.
"It's all in the melting pot," the Co Meath trainer said yesterday. "I would prefer wetter going, and she's probably not as good as she was, but then she was supposed to have no chance last year and she won. Call Equiname will be hard to beat, but will he stay this trip? I'll be disappointed if we're not in the first three."
That's not an unreasonable hope but it's worth betting that Call Equiname will stay, even on this softer going. He is proven on the surface and his style of racing will allow him every chance.
