The great showdown
Azertyuiop's jockey Ruby Walsh certainly thinks so and, having been touched off in last year's renewal by the Irish challenger, feels both he and his mount have something to prove at the Esher venue today.
"Azertyuiop had not had the benefit of a prep. race before the Tingle Creek last year and I think his four length defeat by Moscow Flyer reflected the fact, but he's had a run in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter a couple of weeks ago and I've no doubt he'll come on a lot from that."
Walsh, who is the stable jockey at Paul Nicholls' Dicheat yard in Somerset, went on to take the Queen Mother Champion Chase title from Barry Geraghty and Moscow Flyer at Cheltenham last season after his good friend was unseated at the top of the hill.
But the 'Flyer' is reported by his handler Jessica Harrington "to be absolutely fine" ahead of this mouth-watering clash between two of the great two mile chasers in the history of the sport.
However, Walsh's recollection of last year's race is tinged with the fact that the Azertyuiop team has learned more about their seven-year-old since he first took on Moscow Flyer.
"He hadn't had a run beforehand and ran very keen in the race last year," Walsh recalls, "and in the end his fitness or lack of it told against him and Moscow Flyer won handy. But this year we've a run into him already and he beat Seebald fairly easily at Exeter.
"We know he's a progressive type and gets better the more racing you get under his belt he showed that last year so I'd be fairly confident we can turn it around this year.
"He's won twice at Cheltenham, remember, so he has obvious class and to be honest, for me is its simply a pleasure to be able to ride him.
"I wouldn't swap him for any other horse and I know Barry wouldn't get off Moscow Flyer either, so we both think we are on the best animal. but I have to say after his performance at Exeter, I'd be very confident about my fella."
Walsh says there are no obvious tricks to riding Azertyuiop as he is a very straight-forward horse who jumps for pleasure and has speed to burn.
This is very unlike the Moscow Flyer camp who are only to well aware their horse only wins when he stands up.
Indeed, he came to grief in this race two years ago when he unseated Geraghty after running into Flagship Uberalles, but Harrington and Geraghty are convinced that the more mature their horse gets, the better a jumper he will be also.
Walsh says that the Sandown fences are quite tricky and not just the famous 'railway fences' down the back end of the course.
"There are actually seven fences down the back side there and each is tricky in its own right, so you have to be careful, especially at the lick these fellas will be going at. You do have to jump well, but I've no doubt my horse can do just that."
Walsh revealed that dividing his time between racing in Ireland and playing the role as lead rider in Nicholls' yard was something of a headache, but it was paying considerable dividends.
"It is great to be able to ride the sort of class animals Paul has in the yard and also be able to come home and ride for the Willie Mullins's of this world.
"I don't mind the travel or anything, I just feel sorry for my sister Jennifer who is also my agent and she had a really hard time juggling things and trying to keep everyone happy."
There is no doubt that Azertyuiop and Moscow Flyer are the class two milers in the chasing game at present and while today's race might not prove anything too conclusively ahead of Cheltenham, there is no doubting that the racing public wants to see more of these two in action against each other.
