Identity Thief is a leading Champion Hurdle contender© Photo Healy Racing
Henry de Bromhead is busy preparing his strongest ever raiding party on the Cheltenham Festival.
Having trained Sizing Europe to win an Arkle and Queen Mother, he is no stranger to success but will head to Prestbury Park this year with a handful of strong chances, headed up by Identity Thief in the Stan James Champion Hurdle.
"We're delighted to have him and hoping for a good run," he told Horse Racing Ireland.
"His jumping has brushed up, at Newcastle in the Fighting Fifth coming to the last it looked as if he was going to win nicely and then he fluffed it. He looked a lot better at Christmas and is schooling well.
"I think if you don't focus on your own horses you'll be in trouble." Sizing John is heading for yet another clash with Douvan in the Arkle but the trainer hopes better ground will help him close the gap.
"He's probably getting sick of the sight of Douvan, it's unfortunate we've come up against him but there you go," said De Bromhead.
"It's our decision to take him on in fairness and I think that is where we are going to go again this year.
"John's a great jumper and I would put a line through his run at Christmas as he hated the ground. I hope it will be better ground at Cheltenham and I hope that will suit him much better." Special Tiara is on course for the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase, in which he was third last year. Habitually a front-runner, with Un De Sceaux in likely opposition he might not get his own way but De Bromhead says it is not essential.
"The day he won the Maghull at Aintree Overturn took him on, we led to the first then Overturn went past us at the second. Our lad can get to a pace and keep it up, he goes his own pace," he said. Smashing is well fancied for a wide-open Ryanair Chase but De Bromhead is worried about quicker ground.
"Smashing is a grand horse but my only fear is that he's probably better on softer ground. We haven't run him that much on good ground, though, so we can't say for sure," said the County Waterford handler.
"He got lost in the Arkle last year, two miles was too quick for him so we'll see how we go from there. He's a really nice horse, he's three from three over fences and rated 159, he's a good horse."
In the opening race Supasundae will take on another Willie Mullins hot pot in Min
"Supasundae is working really well ahead of the Supreme," said De Bromhead.
"I decided not to give him an extra run and he's probably going there lacking a little bit of experience over hurdles but I feel he's better fresh. So it's a bit of a gamble but he jumped really well for most part of his last race."
