MAKE sure Mughas (5.30) is on your Aintree short-list for this afternoon's Martell Cognac Handicap Hurdle.

Mughas was one of our banker bets for the Cheltenham Festival, but try hard as he did, the Alan King gelding simply could not peg back the leaders in the fiercely-competitive Coral Cup.

Fortunately punters wise enough to have lumped on each-way at least got their money back as the five-year-old held on gamely to fourth spot in the 24-runner two-mile-five-furlong affair.

Mughas, successful at Liverpool much earlier in the season, shapes as if today's extended three-mile trip might bring about the necessary improvement, and even though he has to shoulder a massive weight, there seems no reason why he won't put up a bold show.

In the earlier Topham Chase, traditionally run over the Grand National obstacles, King's stable jockey, Robert "Chocolate" Thornton, could spark a potentially long-priced double for the yard if Windross (3.45) opts to put his best foot forward.

The eleven-year-old undoubtedly has two ways of running, one is good, the other rank bad. Windross needs to atone for a diabolical effort at Kempton in January, but if he returns to the sort of form demonstrated when winning at Stratford in a lightning fast time, then victory is no forlorn hope.

Moscow Flyer, thought by many to be home and hosed prior to lining up for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham, proved there's no such thing as a racing certainty by firing the hapless Barry Geraghty out of the saddle and into orbit at the fourth last fence.

Remarkably, when actually staying on his feet, Moscow Flyer (3.10) is still unbeaten over fences, and barring accidents he will surely take the world of beating in the £150,000 Melling Chase.

In the opening Ember Inns Handicap Chase, Merchants Friend (2.00) attempts to wipe away the abject misery of his nightmare defeat at the Festival.

Booted fully 15 lengths clear of the opposition in the Kim Muir Chase, Merchants Friend had a severe attack of the wobbles up the notorious climb to the winning post and was mugged on the line by Maximize, who came from another parish to win.

With no such demands to contend with on this much flatter, less stamina-sapping track, Merchants Friend should theoretically find the gallop far easier to maintain, thus keeping sufficient energy in reserve to repel any last-ditch challenges that may emerge.

Another beaten horse seeking to restore his reputation after failing to excel at Cheltenham is Albuhera (2.00), bidding to gain compensation in the Premier Stores Top Novices' Hurdle.

The jungle drums said it all at Chelteham, where Albuhera drifted alarmingly in the ante-post market on the morning of the Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

Strange how the bookmakers' contacts rarely get it wrong and sure enough the Paul Nicholls-trained six-year-old wasn't on the premises when the leaders struck for gold.

Sensibly jockey Ruby Walsh did not subject his mount to a hard time once their chance had evaporated - kindness which may well be repaid in the extended two-mile thriller.

* Janus pummelled the bookies at the start of the Aintree Festival by napping yesterday's 13-2 scorer, Forest Gunner, the clear-cut winner of the Fox Hunters Chase over the Grand National fences.

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