Midnight Legend to have happy end

AN INTENSE three day Anglo Irish scrap for the lion's share of a £530,000 pot is the backdrop to the Punchestown Festival, which start's today.

Last year, the invading forces had to settle for one winner but this time the suspicion is that the quantity could easily match the quality.

David Nicholson intends running six horses at the festival and Midnight Legend looks a good bet to get the expedition off to the perfect start.

The ambitious plans laid out for Midnight Legend by Nicholson after his last success indicate that today's Country Pride Champion Novices Hurdle may be only the prelude to better things. It was hard to argue with Nicholson that races like the Fighting Fifth and the Christmas Hurdles are within Midnight Legend's range after his impressive defeat of one of today's opponents, Sharpical, at Aintree.

When beating Sharpical, Midnight Legend attacked his job with noticeable relish, a good sign considering his previous high rating as a flat horse when winning listed races for Luca Cumani. The ground at Punchestown is officially good but is likely to ride just on the fast side of good, ideal for an improving Midnight Legend having only his fourth run of the season.

In contrast, the Irish team in this race, although talented, looks relatively exposed. Aidan O'Brien has three, including the Lincoln winner Toast The Spreece and the Chepstow scorer What's The Verdict. Toast The Spreece may emerge as best of the O'Brien team.

Gazalani was a shock but worthy winner at Fairyhouse, Dromineer beat Hill Society at the same meeting and Bukhari is talented in his own right. However, Midnight Legend looks a reasonable bet to send this race for export.

The most valuable race of the day, the £50,000 BMW Handicap Chase, should stay at home though. With the minimum weight being 10st 11lb, the conditions favour the top weight, Klairon Davis, who bids to win this for the second year running.

Last season, Arthur Moore's horse beat a much stronger field to win this brilliantly but is on less of a roll now. Well fancied to land another Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham, Klairon Davis found the rock hard surface unsuitable and had to settle for fourth behind Martha's Son. It was noticeable, however, that he was closing on the leaders all the way to the line and Moore is confident the ground today will not be similar.

"I've walked the course twice and while it may walk like fast ground, the water has gone in. There should be a good spring in it," Moore said yesterday. That being the case, Klairon Davi's class should see him clear of Merry Gale.

The field for the Bradstock Insurance Novice Chase is hardly awe inspiring considering the prize money and it should be within the winning scope of the Tim Thomson Jones trained Linton Rocks.

A decent eighth to Pharanear in Cheltenham's Gold Card Final, Linton Rocks's subsequent chasing debut was mightily encouraging. He was never off the bit to hand out a five length defeat to the Nicholson trained Hatcham Boy at Newbury over three miles.

Today's race is over half a mile shorter and the early stages may be the most critical for Linton Rocks.

The Ernst and Young Chase over the spectacular banks course looks as if it can be safely narrowed down to Tearaway King and Dennistownhriller. These two raced over the unique obstacles in December. Dennistownthriller had one and a half lengths to spare and Tearaway King's jumping was less than spectacular.

However, trainer Enda Bolger, a master of the banks races, takes over in the plate on Tearaway King today and is sure to have had the gelding popping over every available bank at home in the meantime. Tearaway King looks the one to be on.

In the concluding bumper, there are sure to be any number fancied but there is a share of confidence behind the Dermot Weld trained Support Act that is hard to ignore. The Shernazar gelding was totally unsuited to the sticky going here in January, when managing to finish only fifth to Simon's Castle, but significant improvement is anticipated on today's better surface.

Norman Williamson is a significant booking for Native Fleck in the Balcas Handicap Hurdle and there was enough in Native Fleck's third to Silvian Bliss and Iridal in a maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse last time to suggest he can play a part, at a decent price.