Texas Jack tries to continue his resurgence in the Newgrange Veterans' Handicap Chase at Navan this afternoon, where racegoers might ponder the sense in offering a prize of €21,000 for animals aged 10 and upwards.
Yet Texas Jack was a dual Grade Two winner in his pomp, including when accounting for Lord Windermere at Leopardstown in January 2013. The Noel Meade-trained 11-year-old then spent a couple of years in the wilderness before bouncing back to form at Fairyhouse last month.
The form of that success was given a boost when the runner-up Thunder And Roses went close in last week's Bobbyjo Chase and although Texas Jack has to concede weight to each of his five rivals, they are all largely out of form.
Canaly ran to his best at Punchestown in January when beating He Rocks and Garrai Phaidin but couldn’t follow up the following month in a better class contest.
He’s possibly the threat to Texas Jack but Mtada Supreme is half-interesting on some bits of hunterchase form.
The in-form pair of Show And Go and All The Chimneys take each other on in the two-mile-one-furlong handicap chase.
Show And Go was last seen landing a Punchestown contest off a 4lb lower mark on New Year's Eve, whereas his rival has already made three appearances in 2017 and almost backed up a victory here when just touched off at Clonmel.
I Knew Well and Ontopoftheworld are another front rank pair at this level. The latter might reverse form here with All The Chimneys from January with a 9lb advantage for a two-and-a-half-length beating.
Camlann is another currently thriving in a busy period and heads the weights for the two-mile-four-furlong handicap hurdle.
Like A Demon has let down favourite-backers the last couple of times but might still be the one to fear most, although Close Shave and Monastic have their chances too with Thekingofrocknroll attracting his usual following.
Kings Bandit is yet to show his true colours since joining Gordon Elliott but he should be on the premises in a very moderate-looking beginners' chase. This is surely his opportunity.
The Elliott-trained Icario attempts to bring to an end a series of seconds when facing the likes of A Year To Remember and From Eden in the opening four-year-old maiden hurdle.
Bargy Lady is another who keeps finding one too good for her and represents the Willie Mullins-Ruby Walsh partnership in the mares' maiden hurdle with obvious prospects but I wouldn't care to be betting prohibitive odds-on about her. Not A Whisper looks the danger.
Elliott went to £115,000 for Coeur De Beauchene after he finished second in a point-to-point at Kirkistown in November, and the five-year-old starts off under Rules in the bumper here.
The likes of Balkalin, Laverteen and Biennial will help make the market in a race where Mullins has no runner.
Neville Ring
2.10 Icario
2.45 Bargy Lady
3.20 Camlann (Nap)
3.55 Kings Bandit
4.30 Ontopoftheworld (Dbl)
5.05 Texas Jack
5.35 Coeur De Beauchamp
Next Best
2.10 A Year To Remember
2.45 Not A Whisper
3.20 Monastic
3.55 Crosshue Boy
4.30 All The Chimneys
5.05 Canaly
5.35 Laverteen
