ON yet another major weekend of jumps racing, is there a more intriguing horse running than Presenting Percy in tomorrow’s John Durkan Chase?

The eight-year-old gelding held the tag of Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite for the majority of last season, despite not running until mid February, and amazingly he remained clear at the top of a deep market for what would be his first and only run over fences for all of last season at Cheltenham.

That market position was part default after a dry winter ground scuppered the plans of prospective Gold Cup horses hoping to put their hand up, but it was also part confidence in a horse who has enveloped an unshakeable belief in so many.

The belief developed from an outrageous 2017-18 season when he proved himself over fences and hurdles, over a range of distances before a sensational performance in the RSA Chase where he had the subsequent Gold Cup winner Al Boum Photo well held.

He has questions to answer tomorrow, most pertinently, does he retain all his ability over fences with precious little match practice last season. If he does, he can get back on track today. He has only run six times over fences, and on the flip side, he will be a fresher than your usual for an eight going on nine-year-old chaser.

Of course he could run a huge race and still not win. That’s because Min will go for back-to-back wins in this two-and-a-half-mile contest.

He won here last season, prompting many to suggest he should stay at the intermediate trip at the very least. But he returned to two miles to score a weak Grade 1 at the Dublin Racing Festival before connections admitted they got their tactics all wrong in the Champion Chase.

That is a case of unfinished business and while Chacun Pour Soi is a potential two-mile monster waiting at home, Min’s proven ability holds sway at the moment. Plus, after chasing home Altior no less than three times at Cheltenham, it would be somewhat ironic should Min follow him up in trip, with the coast clear (at the moment*).

BEWARE the old man in a profession where men usually die young.

Old man Un De Sceaux will attempt to win his 11th Grade 1 in the Tingle Creek at Sandown today and his biggest rival will be a horse near half his age. But to point to the age as the main quandary when assessing Un De Sceaux is misguided.

The O’Connell family horse has stood the test of time as a top-class chaser over two different distances and that says an awful lot. It is to his immense credit and in defiance to the kamikaze running style he adopted early on his career.

To write Un De Sceaux off before he has shown any solid trend of regression is dangerous. Defi Du Seuil may be the up-and-comer but he isn’t up just yet and this will be his first Grade 1 in open company and his first Grade 1 in a two-mile chase.

That said, there has been a bit of defiance about Defi as well. Just over 12 months ago he looked a busted flush but he will start favourite for a Tingle Creek today and possesses some of the hottest form lines around. He is a credit to Philip Hobbs.

There have been no less than 10 dual winners of this race since its inception in 1979 and Un De Sceaux is joined by Politologue in attempting to extend that statistic today. His owner John Hales yearns for a Gold Cup horse, so much so that this likeable grey was building up for a King George attempt rather than defending his title here last season.

The Isaac Souede and Simon Munir-owned pair Sceau Royal and Janika still have time on their side and could yet improve to win a race like this, while Waiting Patiently, on something of a fact-finding mission at this trip, adds further intrigue.

Connections of Altior, and the rest of us, wait with anticipation.

IT’S feasible that Willie Mullins could take the feature contests at Sandown, Punchestown and Cork this weekend, all with potential Champion Chase contenders. The first two are mentioned in the pieces above and down in Mallow, he runs Cilaos Emery and Great Field in the Hilly Way Chase.

The former went favourite for the Arkle when he won a hot beginners chase at Gowran Park last season before an injury ruled him out for the season. He is set to have his mettle tested tomorrow taking on Ballyoisin, who provides a solid barometer for any two-mile chaser.

At Aintree today, Native River and Might Bite, who fought out an epic renewal of the Gold Cup two seasons ago, make their seasonal debuts in the Grade 2 Many Clouds Chase. Both failed to win a race last season so that means they evade a penalty at this level, and so are very well treated at the weights.