Irish Dominance Of Champion Looks Set To Continue

Irish raiders have won seven of the last nine Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdles and that outstanding record could continue in the 2008 race on Tuesday, March 11, with exactly half of the 38 entries trained in Ireland.

Among the record 19 contenders from across the Irish Sea are the 2007 winner Sublimity, Hardy Eustace, who scored in 2005 and 2004, as well as Noel Meade's talented quartet Aitmatov, Harchibald, Jazz Messenger and Nicanor.

The 2007 Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Ebaziyan looks set to represent trainer Willie Mullins, three-time Grade One winner Al Eile is also engaged as is Henry de Bromhead's stable star Sizing Europe, winner of the Grade Three Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham in November.

Irish-trained horses are responsible for the three Timeform top-rated contenders in Harchibald 164, Sublimity 162+ and Al Eile 160.

The home defence in the #360,000 event includes Greatwood Hurdle runner-up Osana and Katchit, who finished first and second in the Grade Two Boylesports.com International Hurdle at Cheltenham in December, last year's Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle third Afsoun, Stan James Christmas Hurdle winner Straw Bear and John Quinn's smart dual-purpose pair Blythe Knight and Kings Quay.

Blythe Knight, a Group Three winner on the Flat, won a Grade Two novices' hurdle at Aintree in April and could be joined in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle by Kings Quay, winner of the Grade Two Elite Hurdle at Wincanton in November.

'The plan is to run Blythe Knight in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle at The Festival,' said Quinn. 'He's had a nice holiday and he's fine. He ran no race at Newcastle in the Fighting Fifth, but that was probably because he had a lot of racing last year. He has had a full month off resting, out by day and in by night. He's back in now and he might possibly run in the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton on February 16 prior to going to Cheltenham.

'Kings Quay could be a possible outsider for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle. We could take the handicap route with him and run him in the totesport Trophy at Newbury if the ground the ground dries out, but the owners said put him in the Champion and we'll see. He didn't get home over two and a half miles at Ascot in November.'

The top novices Khyber Kim and Striking Article have been entered respectively by Nicky Henderson and Howard Johnson while the high-class mares Amaretto Rose, Lounaos and Chomba Womba have all been given the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle.