The Coo Star Sivola race looks better in the light of his win at the festival. My rating for the earlier race was made via Jamieson's OR but I had him higher than that; I just chose to ignore the higher rating at the time.
I then carried Kalondra's rating through to his run at Cheltenham in April in the race won by Traffic Fluide but I now want to uprate that form in the light of what Traffic Fluide and Kalondra have since done. As an aside, I will be all over Art Of Payroll like a rash when he eventually reappears.
Kalondra, though, appeared to take his form to a new level at Galway so I'm inclined to interpret his other form as steps en route.
As for the size of field, there were sixteen runners in the Traffic Fluide race and he tanked all the way through it. I actually think the bigger field and faster pace will play into his hands. I can see him coming there pulling double turning for home on Saturday. My slight doubt is whether he'll truly get up the hill as he appeared either not to do so in April or maybe he thought he'd done enough once he went clear. I imagine, though, that Fehily will delay his challenge as long as possible, possibly until approaching the last.
I can't agree with you about Galway. Everything except him was off the bit two out and most had been for a couple of fences before that. When you consider what he did at Cheltenham in April from two out to after the last, a repetition of that burst would have taken him past Sub Lieutenant, I reckon. I think he was being ridden for that burst.
Kalondra was an unexposed 147 [OR] hurdler, potentially better by some way so I'm not too worried about a comparison with Rather Be (which I respect, especially as he's entitled to find about 10lbs this season as well).
We'll know a lot more either way at about 2.30 on Saturday afternoon.