Irish Dominate Top-Class Champion Entry For the first time ever this year, Irish-trained horses make up more than half of those engaged in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle, for which the 2007 entries are revealed today.Click Here for Entries No less than 17 of the 28 entries are trained in Ireland, including the first three horses home in 2006 - Brave Inca, Macs Joy and Hardy Eustace. Brave Inca appears as good as ever with victories in Grade One events at Fairyhouse and Leopardstown on his last two starts. Macs Joy has not run since reversing the placings with Brave Inca at Punchestown in April while Hardy Eustace, successful in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle in both 2004 and 2005, bids for a rare third victory. Trainer Noel Meade holds a strong hand in this year's Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle, worth a record #360,000 and run on Tuesday, March 13. The Co Meath handler is responsible for Harchibald, runner-up to Hardy Eustace in 2005, Stan James Christmas Hurdle victor Jazz Messenger, the very smart Iktitaf, second behind Brave Inca in the December Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown last month, and Sweet Wake. Other contenders from Ireland include the brilliant mare Asian Maze, the Grade One-winning novice Hide The Evidence, last season's Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase victor Newmill and Feathard Lady, who is unbeaten in seven starts but has not been seen out since winning the Christmas Hurdle at Sandown in December, 2005. But it is a British-trained horse who currently heads the betting. The Philip Hobbs-trained Detroit City, winner of the 2006 JCB Triumph Hurdle, has won both his starts impressively at Cheltenham this year, first defying top-weight with an authoritative display in the Greatwood Hurdle at The Open on November 12 and then taking the Boylesports.com International by a length from Hardy Eustace on December 9. If he were to land the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle, he would collect a #200,000 bonus, generously provided by Boylesports. Acambo, Noble Request, 2006 Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle winner Desert Quest and Straw Bear are among the remainder of the British-trained entries. Edward Gillespie, Cheltenham´s Managing Director, commented: 'It is a golden era for hurdling and the 2007 Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle entries are bursting with quality. We have seen Irish-trained 1-2-3s for the past two years but the 2006 JCB Triumph Hurdle winner Detroit City has emerged as a live contender to keep the title at home for the first time since 2003, when Rooster Booster scored for the same connections.'
