Memories to be sweet in AIG Hurdle

RACING: For once in his life Limestone Lad goes into a big race with everything to gain and nothing to lose in tomorrow's AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown. Brian O'Connor on tomorrow's big race

Being the country's most popular racehorse and having 35 previous career victories usually means a wealth of expectation around the Bowe family's star stayer. But not this time.

Instead it is the opposition that will be on trial in Ireland's most prestigious hurdle race.

Half the six-strong field currently hold realistic claims to winning the championship itself in March. If a stayer like Limestone Lad can beat them over two miles then those claims will appear very thin indeed. And Limestone Lad has a habit of beating the odds.

He is not even entered for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle but some of his form over the minimum trip means he will be a danger to all. At the very least Limestone Lad looks sure to do better than in his previous AIG appearance three years ago. He managed only fourth of six to Istabraq in 2000, but that was a bad day all round for his connections.

"I felt an awful lot of pressure going into that race and I ended up over training him. But this time we've nothing to lose and we're expecting nothing," said Michael Bowe, son of permit holder James Bowe.

"This is Plan B for us. Plan A was the Bank Of Ireland Hurdle and then the Boyne. After Sunday we will just go back to Plan A," he added.

The two-mile tilt is on the back of form that ranks with any in Limestone Lad's career, a regret that he didn't tackle the speed horses last year and a ground forecast of "yielding to soft". Barry Geraghty takes over from Paul Carberry for the second time this season and the last time the result was an eight-length defeat of Scottish Memories in the Hatton's Grace.

Turtleback looks outclassed and Stage Affair, runner-up in 2000, has some catching up to do. But for Scottish Memories, Davenport Milenium and Like-A-Butterfly, this is crunch time.

Willie Mullins finally gave Davenport Milenium the AIG green light on Thursday but the form of his string in general is giving cause for concern.

"I'm happier with him now than I was before he was third at Kempton and the ground drying out would be a help. But you would have to take into account how the horses have been performing in recent weeks," he said.

Davenport Milenium shares a 153 rating with Scottish Memories but the dark horse of the race is the Cheltenham winner Like-A-Butterfly who hasn't run since an anti-climactic defeat at Punchestown in April.

A sickness bout in the Christy Roche yard stopped her running at Christmas and the preparation for this appears less than ideal.

It's pretty easy to predict the early part of the race as Limestone Lad will go off in front. It's then a question of who will pass him.

Over two and a half miles on heavy going, it may be that Scottish Memories' performance in getting to eight lengths of Limestone Lad in the Hatton's Grace was a better than generally thought.

Over half a mile less on quicker going, Paul Carberry might just have the quicker horse to go past his old friend.

The Bowe's should still enter the winner's enclosure after the Grade Three novice hurdle. Solerina has the same "catch me if you can" attitude as her stable companion and her SunAlliance claims should look even stronger after tomorrow.

The former top bumper horse Alexander Milenium is the unknown quantity in the Baileys Arkle Cup but Bust Out looks the safest option after a gallant second to Le Coudray in the Dennys.

Takagi's excellent runner-up placing to Be My Belle in the Thyestes on Thursday indicates the return to form of the Edward O'Grady yard.

That will be tested when Back In Front, second favourite for Cheltenham's Supreme Novices' Hurdle, has his first start since the start of December in the maiden hurdle. Back In Front came though a vital piece of work last week and looks to have too much class for the good bumper performers, Lost Time and Leinster.