BEST MATE HOLDS CHAMPION ENTRY

Arkle Chase favourite Best Mate has been handed a surprise entry for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle, it was revealed today.

The gelding is Coral`s 2-1 market leader for the two-mile novice chase at Cheltenham after impressive wins in his two outings to date over fences.

But trainer Henrietta Knight has also put him in the hurdlers` championship event, the race which follows the Arkle on the opening day of the National Hunt Festival.

Mrs Knight stressed that Best Mate has only been entered in the Champion Hurdle as insurance.

'The intention is to run Best Mate in the Arkle,' she said.

'I`ve entered him in the Champion Hurdle as security. He hasn`t done anything wrong so far but if anything went wrong with his jumping - heaven forbid - I would have something up my sleeve.'

Best Mate will warm up for the Cheltenham Festival at Sandown Park next month.

'The horse is very well and goes for the Scilly Isles Novices` Chase at Sandown (February 3rd),' Mrs Knight added. 'I`ll also enter him at Doncaster a few days earlier just in case Sandown looks like being off.

'I desperately want to get a run into him before Cheltenham.'

JP McManus` Istabraq, trained by Aidan O`Brien, heads 47 entries published today for the Champion - which he is odds-on favourite to win for an unprecedented fourth time in a row.

His trainer has also engaged triple runner-up Theatreworld in the March 13 event, while McManus has possible reserves in Grimes and Youlneverwalkalone.

The latter also has an entry in the Bonusprint Stayers` Hurdle two days later, as do other leading Champion hopes Barton and Hors La Loi III.

Last year`s Stayers` Hurdle winner Bacchanal and runner-up Limestone Lad are both among 56 in the race, though the former heads betting on the Royal & SunAlliance Chase after two wins over fences to date this term.

Promising novices entered in the Champion include Hitman and Life Is Life while Mark Johnston has put in classy Flat racer HappyChange, who is quoted as short as 25-1 despite having run only once over hurdles.

SMURFIT CHAMPION HURDLE ENTRIES:

All-Alone, Althrey Ruler, Auetaler, Barton, Batswing, Ben Ewar, Best Mate, Bounce Back, Bring Sweets, Dibea Times, Geos, Greyfield, Grimes, Gun`n Roses, Happy Change, Hidebound, His Song, Hit And Run, Hitman, Hors La Loi III, Hulysse Royal, Inching Closer, Istabraq, Katarino, Landing Light, Life Is Life, Lord Brex, Maidstone Monument, Make A Stand, Mantles Prince, Mister Morose, Moscow Flyer, Mr Cool, Penny Rich, Ricardo, Rodock, San Suru, Seebald, Silent Warning, Sir Talbot, Stage Affair, Theatreworld, The French Furze, The Glow-Worm, Ulundi, Wahiba Sands, Youlneverwalkalone. (47).

BONUSPRINT STAYERS` HURDLE ENTRIES:

Anzum, Audacter, Bacchanal, Bannow Bay, Baracouda, Barton, Be My Royal, Boss Doyle, Bounce Back, Celtic Native, Count Campioni, Danegold, Darastan, Deano`s Beeno, Dorans Pride, Earthmover, Flagship Therese, Frosty Canyon, GalantMoss, Gimmick, Havre de Thaix, Heros Fatal, Hindiana, Historic, Hors La Loi III, It`s Wallace, Katarino, Kilcash Castle, Lady Rebecca, Le Sauvignon, Limestone Lad, Lord Brex, Maid Equal, Merry Masquerade, Mister Banjo, Mister Morose, Musardo, Oa Baldixe, Polar Champ, Princeful, Rostropovich, Run For Paddy, Sallie`s Girl, Seixo Branco, Soldat, Solo Mio, Splendid Thyne, Suplizi, Teaatral, The Proms, Upgrade, Vishnu, Wahiba Sands, What`s up Boys, Wither Or Which, Youlneverwalkalone. (56).