THE Raymond Smith Memorial Hunters’ Chase at Leopardstown last Sunday is not the last chance for a pre-festival run, or even qualification for the Cheltenham Foxhunters. But for many of the Irish contenders the near five-week interval between the two races makes a perfect strategic break.

Now most of our potential challengers for this blue riband test have shown their colours and just need fine-tuning for the big day. The trainers of the principals in Sunday’s race will not be discouraged by the way the race turned out. The winner, Prince De Beauchene, is apparently not qualified for Cheltenham due to his past winnings, and the casual observer would be unlikely to make a definite favourite from what was seen. While we have some strong contenders the British challenge should not be written off too lightly. The hunter chase at Bangor on February 6th effectively saw the chance of qualification for several horses gone for another year.

This is particularly a problem for horses who come from the yard of a licensed trainer as, unlike their Irish counterparts, they are automatically banned from point-to-points unless owned by the trainer or his direct family. However, the winner was one who does come from a licensed yard - that of Rebecca Curtis. Teaforthree, one-time Grand National placed, put in a good performance under our own Jamie Codd who is not committed to any Irish possible.

Jamie was well enough impressed by his ride and thinks he is good enough to be there or thereabouts on the day but he still has to finish first or second in another hunter chase to qualify and, if the weather should make this run too near the big race day, this could be a serious impediment.

While Teaforthree may be a newly qualified hunter, at least he did begin his career as a point-to-pointer and the four-mile National Hunt Chase which he won has featured over the years as a genuine target for horses from the hunting field.