Pre-festival gallops take the spotlight

Leopardstown Preview: Willie Mullins will bring some of his powerful Cheltenham team to Leopardstown tomorrow for a vital post-race series of work-outs that is also set to include other star names such as Moscow Flyer and Brave Inca.

The pre-festival gallops at the Foxrock track have become something of a tradition in recent years, helped in no small part by subsequent dramatic victories at Cheltenham by the likes of Hardy Eustace and Florida Pearl.

Hardy Eustace is also again scheduled to work and is likely to be joined at Leopardstown by Brave Inca who is favourite to tear the Champion Hurdle crown away from Dessie Hughes's horse in 10 days time.

It's Willie Mullins, though, who is an odds-on favourite with Cashmans to be the leading Irish trainer at Cheltenham and he intends bringing the ante-post favourites Our Ben (SunAlliance Chase) and Mister Hight (Triumph Hurdle) to the track as part of a large team of horses working out.

"It's a day out without a hard race and it's far enough away to actually bring a horse forward without having to give them a race," Mullins said yesterday.

"I know some people think we're mad to pay to work a horse when they could race for prizemoney but the reality is that you're obliged to do a lot more in a race. This way we can do exactly what we want to do," he added.

"Hedgehunter could go as well and so could Davenport Democrat who might jump a few fences. He's in the Grand Annual and the Jewson but with the weights I'm thinking of maybe letting him run alongside Missed That in the Arkle.

"Missed That schooled during the week under Ruby (Walsh) and I was quite happy with how it went. I'm not sure he needs to go to Leopardstown,"

Mullins reported. "But I will probably bring a few of the bumper horses too."

A total of up to 50 horses are expected to avail of the chance to work and no weather problems are expected.

"The ground will be a lot better than last year when we were lucky to race," said Leopardstown's racing manager Tom Burke yesterday. "We could have raced by noon today and that was after a very bad frost. If the forecast is correct I don't see any problems."

Compared to the names on view afterwards the actual racing pales somewhat but a number of festival clues will be on offer and none more so than In Compliance's attempt to earn an Arkle Trophy place by winning the novice chase.

Michael O'Brien's horse was impressive on his chasing debut at Fairyhouse last weekend and that was enough to earn 25 to 1 quotes for the festival. Something similar tomorrow will see the bookmakers cutting.

Kalderon is a Cheltenham possible who makes his Irish debut in the two-mile maiden hurdle. Reports on his schooling are encouraging and this seven-time winner in Germany and France looks one to keep an eye on.

One horse who won't be seen in action on Ireland's racecourses any more is the five-time Grade One winner Solerina who has been retired to stud.

The James Bowe-trained mare, winner of 22 of her 40 races, won her last contest at Naas in January but time has been called on her illustrious career.

"It's not that she was not enjoying her racing, more that we were not enjoying watching her," said Bowe's son Michael yesterday. "She has done it all and we wanted her to go out on a high. She will go to the paddocks. I have no idea who she will go to - she's pretty choosy!"