Hi °C | Lo °C Fairyhouse makes it third time lucky today when staging the meeting that gives many of the jumping game's lesser lights additional opportunities to pay their way.
This is very much an industry date and several of the smaller stables will be quite hopeful of visiting the winner's enclosure this afternoon, no more than Conor O'Dwyer and reigning champion Willie Mullins.
Curragh-based O'Dwyer has plenty of unexposed types waiting in the wings to make their mark and Lismakeery could do the business for him ahead of the Mullins runner Uimhiraceathair in the older maiden hurdle.
A dual bumper winner in the soft, the latter disappointed at Thurles last month on his debut over timber and might struggle now to emulate last season's success in this event achieved by odds-on stablemate Fiveforthree.
Purchased by JP McManus following November's Clonmel bumper success first time out, Lismakeery didn't settle for Tony McCoy when launched over hurdles at Cork in the race won by Zarinava. Given a decent break since, the six-year-old will have David Casey aboard on this occasion and the experience picked up when third at the Mallow venue may give them the edge over Ruby Walsh's mount.
The champion, who had mixed fortunes at Thurles yesterday, can land the Ticket Discount Novice Chase later as he takes over the reins on Martin Lynch's Oscar Time which has enjoyed little luck to date over fences.
The Mooney family's course specialist Good Fella will be popular with punters here and is bound to be putting in his best work at the finish while Hume River stepped up on previous form when scoring at Down Royal.
This pair are obliged to concede 6lb though to Lynch's 116-rated charge, which met an above-average rival at Punchestown last month when outpaced by Rare Bob and rates as the nap selection now to secure these spoils. Willie Mullins and son Patrick may have the answer to the finale with the well-touted Alexander Seaview while Yeoman can defy his 6lb Limerick penalty under Tom Ryan in the opening leg of the Jackpot.
Meanwhile, Epsom have taken the decision to divide up sponsorship of the 2009 Derby meeting in light of the recent economic crisis.
This will be the first time the Derby has been offered for sponsorship on its own rather than part of a package.
Nick Blofeld, managing director of Epsom said: "It has obviously been, and continues to be, a difficult time to find a title sponsor for the two days of the 2009 Derby Festival. A number of parties have shown great interest in the title sponsorship but have had to withdraw from latter stage negotiations due to the on-going economic uncertainty."
