Racing: Rising Irish star a tough opponent for Flagship

The rising Irish star Moscow Flyer will provide serious opposition for Two Mile Champion Chaser Flagship Uberalles when he attempts a fourth consecutive win in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on Saturday.

There is no more exhilarating spectacle in racing than a field of top class chasers sweeping over the seven Railway fences in the back straight at the Esher course and although the Tingle Creek has attracted just seven entries, the other probable runners include last year's second and fourth Edredon Bleu and Cenkos, who will be ridden by Ruby Walsh.

Jessica Harrington, who trains Moscow Flyer, 4-1 favourite for next March's Queen Mother Two Mile Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, said last night: "Barry [Geraghty] came down to school Moscow Flyer on Monday and everything went fine. The horse is in very good form and will have a gallop in the morning before travelling to England tomorrow."

Edredon Bleu slammed Seebald, second to Moscow Flyer in the Irish Independent Arkle Chase at Cheltenham last March, by 10 lengths on his reappearance at Exeter last month and connections are hoping the course will dry out. His trainer, Henrietta Knight, said: "He will want good ground, so we will be watching the weather."

The Sandown going is currently good to soft, good in places, on the chase course and soft, good to soft in places, on the hurdle course. Andrew Cooper, the Clerk of the Course, said yesterday: "The whole of the back straight is just about good on the chase course. Wednesday could be wet but the beginning and the end of the week are forecast dry."

Cashmans of Cork make Flagship Uberalles and Moscow Flyer 6-4 joint favourites for the Tingle Creek, followed by 3-1 Edredon Bleu, 12-1 Wahiba Sands, 16-1 Cenkos, 22-1 Direct Route and 50-1 Get Real.

There will be a real international flavour to Cheltenham's two-day fixture starting on Friday, 13 December, as Al Skywalker, winner of nine races over jumps in the United States, will run in the following day's Bula Hurdle, while Trinitro and City Kid, both trained by Rune Haugen in Norway, have been entered for the Select Handicap Chase over the cross-country course on the Friday. Trinitro finished third in the Sporting Index Chase over the same fences at last month's Open Meeting and the much travelled City Kid was third in a chase on his latest start in Bremen, Germany.

Al Skywalker, a nine-year-old, is the only jumper trained by Jennifer Majette in Southern Pines, North Carolina, and she described the trip as "a little kid's dream". She will join her horse on a flight from Toronto to Britain this week and expects to arrive at Cheltenham on Saturday. Majette also announced a new partnership with British-based owner Michael Watt. The New Zealander Watt campaigns horses all over the world and this year he has won the Irish St Leger with Vinnie Roe, the New Zealand Grand National with Eric The Bee and America's New York Turf Writers Cup with Zabenz.

"Al Skywalker will race in Mr Watt's colours at Cheltenham, and if the horse does well, he will stay in England at least for a while," Majette said. "It is a bit of a Cinderella story as Al Skywalker showed no form on the Flat in California and was a giveaway if the shipping across the country was paid for The only thing I'm worried about is the plane ride, that's why I'm going to fly with him."

Al Skywalker won his latest start over two miles at Far Hills, New Jersey, on 19 October and will be ridden by his regular jockey, Tom Foley.