Govamix to prove his Festival credentials

Irish Racing Weekend previews: It's 14 years since Rare Holiday provided Dermot Weld with his sole Cheltenham festival winner to date in the Triumph Hurdle, but Govamix can prove his credentials for a possible follow-up at Punchestown tomorrow.

Winner of the second race of 2004 on his jumping debut at Fairyhouse, Govamix's performance then was enough to earn Supreme Novices Hurdle quotes of as low as 16 to 1.

The Weld runner won with his head in his chest that day, but it will be a different story in the Grade Two Byrne Group Novice Hurdle where he will be ridden for the first time by Barry Geraghty.

The €55,000 pot is the most valuable of a bumper weekend which begins at Fairyhouse today and also includes the Thurles card postponed from Thursday.

With bookmakers going 7 to 1 the field for the festival opener, a convincing performance by Govamix could see him go close to the head of the Cheltenham betting and it will be disappointing for many if that isn't the case.

Watson Lake's scintillating performance last weekend indicated that the back-to-form Noel Meade team are very dangerous, but First Diploma hasn't done quite enough yet to indicate he is held in the same regard at home as Watson Lake, Zum See or Mark The Man.

Euro Leader will hardly love the forecast "soft" going which Govamix will thrive on, while Kahuna doesn't look up to this over the minimum trip.

Barry Geraghty is closing in on his first century of winners in Ireland and could follow Govamix up with victory on Native Scout, fourth to Isio in the Victor Chandler, in the Grade Two Tied Cottage Chase.

He is on Silver Steel, diverted from Uttoxeter, in the National Trial, but the real interesting runner here looks to be the Hennessy entry Rule Supreme, even off topweight.

The Willie Mullins runner overcame a bad mistake six out in the Thyestes to finish third, and the marathon journey now should mean a pace that won't tax his sometimes iffy jumping too much.

Down at Thurles tomorrow, Native Upmanship's task in trying to win the Grade Two Kinloch Brae for a third time in a row has been helped by Arctic Copper's defection from the original line-up, and the seven-time Grade One winner looks to have a relatively easy job in beating David's Lad and Macs Gildoran.

There has been no dimunition in the strength of the novice hurdle, but even allowing for that it is difficult to go against Michael Hourigan's highly regarded youngster, The Parishioner.

A double point-to-point winner, The Parishioner made hard work of winning at Cork on his first hurdles start after mistakes at the last and third last. However, the step up in trip should be ideal and Deep Return and Kim Fontaine don't look good enough to stop him.

If Weld fancies his chances tomorrow he also goes into Fairyhouse today with a winning shout in the opener.

Amid The Chaos improved from finishing last on his jumping debut in the Dennys to run third to Cupla Cairde at Punchestown last time. If he keeps that rate of improvement then he can cope with Seamus Heffernan's mount Alicudi, well backed on his jumping debut behind Colmcille.

Cash And Carry ran a blinder to be a close second to Mrs Wallensky before winning his bumper at Limerick over Christmas. The Eddie O'Grady runner should go close in the second maiden hurdle, while Pietro Vannucci can make it third time lucky over fences in the Beginners Chase.