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There's no doubt Blazing Khal is a good horse, though, whose form is working out along with him being at home on the track. Class and stamina are not the issue, it's just what kind of form he turns up in on the day.
I don't think Charles (Byrnes) would've gone to the Boyne if he didn't think this horse was capable of running two races back relatively quickly as you'd assume Cheltenham would've been the top goal. This is the type of trainer who doesn't do things by accident so if Charles thinks the Boyne onto the Stayers' is the way to go, who are we to question him?
You can be sure it will all be well thought out, but I do feel he needs to take another step forward.
Strengths - Class and especially stamina are not in doubt.
Weak spot - Will he be able to put up another big performance off a long lay-off?
We don't know for sure if Marie's Rock will run in the Stayers' Hurdle, as she has the option of the Mares' again, but she is entered in the three-mile race so it's obviously a possibility.
I'd like to see her over the trip for the first time in the Stayers' because as a horse, she is evolving. She's finally becoming more tractable on the racecourse, something Nicky Henderson has been seeing at home, and it's allowing her to show everybody how good she is.
I've got to be honest, I was worried going into Cheltenham last year that she would get warm and sweaty before her race again and throw it away a bit, but she quashed that worry with a big performance in the Mares', finding plenty for pressure and running on strongly.
She then went to Punchestown and beat two class mares in Stormy Ireland and Epatante and you've got to say she improved again that day. It's part of the reason I like her for the Stayers', because Marie's Rock is clearly progressive and might have more to offer up in distance, especially now she's not in a mad rush everywhere.