Vic looks poised to collect in Beginners Chase
This was always going to be the former winning point-to-pointer's game and he is certain to have been extensively schooled.
Southern Vic scored twice over flights at Leopardstown last season, impressing with his attitude and rounding off the campaign with a creditable close fifth behind Black Apalachi in a Grade Two at Naas in February.
Noel Meade's Sir Oj is the one to beat in the Gardiner and Theobald Handicap Chase.
He had a spin on the flat at Navan earlier in the month, fifth behind Ground Ball, and that should have left him spot on for this test.
The selection was at his most potent in the first half of last season, producing some decent efforts. His best performance came at Leopardstown at Christmas, clear when falling at the final fence in a Grade One which eventually went to Mariah Rollins.
If first reserve Kerryhead Windfarm, very good when scoring easily over fences at Fairyhouse nine days ago, gets into the Sword Event Guard International Race then he would have to be the choice.
At Leopardstown today, Eddie Lynam's improving mud-loving Jioconda can land the Killavullan Stakes.
She followed up a narrow victory in a Tipperary maiden with an excellent two and a half lengths defeat of Million Waves in a Listed event at the Curragh.
Another who will relish the conditions, Power Elite, looks the business in the Trigo Stakes. He stripped fit and well, following a long break, to easily score at Navan and Noel Meade's five-year-old can take this step up in class in his stride.
