Punchestown/Day Four Preview: The amount of amateur psycho-logy that has been poured into Harchibald after that dramatic Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham almost suggests Paul Carberry should step aside at Punchestown today and let Dr Anthony Clare take the reins.
Not since Jean Van de Velde flailed away at some Carnoustie water have sports hacks had to resort to such fanciful terminology as they have on the back of Harchibald's defeat by Hardy Eustace.
Even over a month later opinions are still divided.
Did he chuck it in after looking to be all over the winner? Should Carberry have waited even longer? Would Hardy Eustace have won anyway?
Considering Harchibald's noggin has become a small cottage industry, it will be good news for some that today's Emo Oil Champion Hurdle isn't likely to close it down.
Unlike Cheltenham there will be no final hill and just four opponents means Harchibald should enjoy a trouble-free passage to the critical stages. What he finds once he gets there will be of supreme interest but only Brave Inca looks up to providing a real stern test.
Brave Inca will be ridden for the first time by Tony McCoy who takes over from the unfortunate Barry Cash.
Up to now Cash had ridden Brave Inca in all 15 of his hurdles starts including the last of his five career wins here last year.
"It's hard on Barry and I feel for him but it is a team decision," said Brave Inca's trainer Colm Murphy yesterday before expressing concern about where the pace in the race is going to come from.
"It could be a Mickey Mouse pace but we will see what happens. Our horse seems to be fine."
Macs Joy is pulled out again after defeats at Cheltenham and Liverpool while the novice Publican's chance look limited. Instead those looking to oppose the enigmatic favourite are likely to focus on the ground.
Good ground evidently suits Harchibald best but it's important to remember he beat both Macs Joy and Back In Front in the Morgiana over the course and distance in November, and did it on ground that was "yielding to soft." That was a Carberry exhibition of pouncing late and fast and today can be the same.
What it will be like at Cheltenham next year is a bigger question that will keep the quacks happy through the summer.
The day's other Grade 1, the Menolly Homes Champion Novice Hurdle, is a much more competitive affair with the Liverpool winner Asian Maze trying to keep her hot-streak going against the Cheltenham disappointment Royal Paradise.
Any initial dismay Tom Foley felt after that seventh in the SunAlliance disappeared the following day when a scope revealed lungs full of blood and mucus. Since then this afternoon has been the plan and Royal Paradise at his best will be hard to beat.
An intriguing clash of Grand National winners is the prospect for the €100,000 betfair.com novice handicap chase and it's the Fairyhouse hero Numbersixvalverde who looks the best option to come out on top.
The Scottish National winner Joes Edge is 7lb higher for that Ayr defeat of Cornish Rebel and makes a quick reappearance, which could just be a worry.
In contrast, Numbersixvalverde has had a longer break and is such a sound jumper that he should be well able to cope with Tony McCoy's mount Scarthy Lad.
The Railway Man, who was fifth to Wild Passion on Tuesday, and Augherskea set a decent standard in the novice hurdle and if the latter can repeat his Deloitte form from February he will have a big shout.
A better price option, however, could be Daly Said It who was only beaten at Fairyhouse by a power packed McCoy drive on Lost Time.
Barry Geraghty evidently holds the key to Lord Alphieross's chances in the opening handicap chase as the jockey has been on board the horse for his two wins. One of those came at Fairyhouse over two and a half miles last time and an 8lb hike in the ratings should be off-set by the extra distance.
Good Step's win yesterday means he isn't qualified to run in the Ladies Cup and that could let the way open for Well Tutored.
SELECTIONS - BRIAN O'CONNOR
2.00-LORD ALPHIEROSS (nap)
2.35-WELL TUTORED
3.10-HARCHIBALD
3.45-NUMBERSIXVALVERDE
4.20-ROYAL PARADISE
4.55-DALY SAID IT
5.30-MERRY QUEEN
6.05-HARDY DUCKETT
Double:
LORD ALPHIEROSS
and NUMBERSIXVALVERDE
