Listen! I'm so in the No

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Dec 7, 2008 | by Paddy Power

NEXT stop on the big race band-wagon is Punchestown - and today we can look forward to two Cheltenham Festival winners locking horns.

Noland, winner of the Supreme Novices Hurdle in 2006, is Paul Nicholls' latest raider to be sent over here to plunder our money.

To be fair, he did win in Down Royal last month when he slammed Finger On the Pulse (yet another Festival winner) by 12 lengths.

He seemed to be a bit disappointing finishing only third when a well-backed favourite in last year's Arkle, but that was on the back of a dodgy preparation.

His win the last day may well turn out to be a bit flattering because Finger Onthe Pulse is twice the horse going the other way, but visually he couldn't have done it any better.

Noland will be vying for favouritism with Gold Cup winnerWar Of Attrition.

We always ask the question: Do they ever come back?

War looks to be getting there winning by a total of27lengths in his two comeback runs.

However, this will be the first time he's faced classy and inform opposition, so will be a good indication as to where he's really at.

The Listener is an enigma - if you knew he was in the form he was last year, you'd be mad not to back him.

However, since joining Nick Mitchell he just hasn't hit the heights and ran a deplorable race at Down last time out behind Kauto Star. At 4/1 you're taking too much on trust that he's back. Watson Lake looked impressive last time out and some will be tempted by the 10/1 on offer.

However, to me he is a Navan specialist who needs everything to go his own way.

I'll be surprised if he's in the frame.

Mansony may have finished well behind Watson Lakelast time out, but he will come on a huge amount for that run. He's the same price as Noel Meade's charge but is far more interesting.

He's worth a few quid each way at double figure odds, but he might just find the top two too good.

It's a tough auld race with morequestions than mastermind.

For me the answer is Noland. Nicholls thinks a lot of this lad and Sam Thomas will be praying he manages to keep his bum on the seat.