Posted: 23rd January 2007

The Irish have landed the Champion Hurdle in the last three years via Hardy Eustace in 2004 & 05 and Brave Inca last year. This year they have no less than 27 of the 38 entries headed by the defending champion who showed all his guts and resilience when landing the Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown over Xmas. The win put to bed the myth that Tony McCoy was the key to the horse as Ruby Walsh got the best out of Colm Murphy's charge.

In former years decent ground was considered essential for the nine-year-old, but that Leopardstown success came on heavy ground when he outbattled the talented Iktitaf trained by Noel Meade who has four entered in hurdling's premier prize. Brave Inca (3/1 to retain his crown with BetDirect) was all out to win from Macs Joy and Hardy Eustace at Cheltenham last year before the former cozily reversed the form by 4l at Punchestown. Dessie Hughes insists that his former dual Champion Hardy Eustace (9/1 to regain his crown with BetDirect) was not at his best last year, and he certainly looked good when trouncing the useful yardstick Mighty Man at Ascot on his reappearance over 2m 3f, and he lost nothing in defeat behind Detroit City (received 4lbs) at Cheltenham last time.

Macs Joy (8/1 for Champion Hurdle glory) has yet to set foot on the track since his defeat of Brave Inca back in the spring, when Barry Geraghty did not sit behind Brave Inca but went past him coming to three out before easily repelling his challenge. Some will argue Brave Inca was past his best after a hard season, but I do not expect the result will have been lost on the other jockeys riding in the Champion Hurdle come March. When defeating Iktitaf (9/1 for Champion with BetDirect) at Leopardstown Paul Carberry sat behind Brave Inca motionless coming to the last before not finding as much as the Champion on the run in. I fully expect Brave Inca to be taken on a long way from the finish at Cheltenham and do not believe he will retain his crown.

Other leading Irish challengers include the mare Feathard Lady (16/1 with BetDirect), the runner up in 2005 Harchibald (14/1), Aintree Hurdle winner Asian Maze (16/1) and the Xmas Hurdle winner Jazz Messenger (12/1 @ BetDirect). The former looked most progressive last term, but Colm Murphy has not been able to get a race into her since her 12l Grade 1 success in the Xmas Hurdle of 2005 and he looks to be losing the battle to get her back on track for the race. Harchibald is another fascinating contender who, at the time of writing, has yet to see the course since disappointing at Tipperary back in October. As we all know it's a long way from finishing fourth at Tipperary to Champion Hurdle glory, but that wasn't his form and Noel Meade's charge will get the race run to suit with plenty of pace in the race. He was only beaten a neck in the 2005 renewal by Hardy Eustace when he travelled supremely well before finding little coming up the hill. We should know more if he has a prep run, but Meade has stated that he would not be too worried if he had to go straight to the race.

The English challenge is headed by last year's Triumph Hurdle winner Detroit City (11/4 fav with BetDirect) who was mightily impressive in the Greatwood Hurdle earlier in the season, before beating Hardy Eustace a length in the race formerly known as the Bula Hurdle at Cheltenham in December. Anoraks will tell you five-year-olds have an appalling record in the race, but they were the same people who said he couldn't follow up his Cheltenham win with victory in the Aintree equivalent. In the interim period he has run away with the Cesarewitch on the level and there is no doubt that the Philip Hobbs grey deserves his place near the top of the market. He does not hurdle as fluently as one would like to see from a Champion, but there are only two flights in the last three quarters of a mile, and his mix of speed and stamina will be a potent threat in March. Hobbs and owner Terry Warner know what it is like to win the race, having landed the prize with the popular grey Rooster Booster in 2004, the last home winner.

Straw Bear (14/1 with BetDirect) is in many ways the forgotten horse of the race. Runner up in the Supreme Novice at Cheltenham last year, he was most impressive at Aintree subsequently and ran away with the Fighting Fifth on his reappearance. Trainer Nick Gifford is hopeful that his candidate is over what was obviously ailing him in the Xmas Hurdle at Kempton and he is sure we will see a different horse at Cheltenham if he gets there. Connections look sure to go there without another run. He should not be underestimated especially if he attracts significant market support in the build up to the race

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