Istabraq to be aimed at Cheltenham again Istabraq will bid for a unique fourth Smurfit Champion Hurdle triumph next year, trainer Aidan O`Brien confirmed today. JP McManus` nine-year-old was as short as 1-3 favourite to win the race this season only to be deprived of the chance due to the foot and mouth outbreak. In the mean time Ballydoyle`s star hurdler will bid for a second success in the Shell Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown a fortnight tomorrow. The two-mile event - which has been transferred from Punchestown - was won by Istabraq two years ago and will be the gelding`s seasonal swansong before being let down for the summer. Istabraq worked over a mile and a quarter in the hands of his work rider Pat Lillis alongside Darapour, Kilcash Castle and Theatreworld in a half-speed gallop at the vast training complex this morning. And afterwards his trainer remarked: 'He is in good form and ready for it. 'He likes the better ground and, hopefully, Leopardstown will suit him before he goes on his holidays.' O`Brien admitted his disappointment that the Cheltenham Festival was cancelled but confirmed Liverpool was never a target for his champion. 'If he went to Aintree he would have had to stay there so that wasn`t really an option and, anyway, the ground turned out the same as it was when he was beaten there by Pridwell,' the trainer added. He feels Istabraq can still add to his impressive tally of four Cheltenham Festival successes - he also won the 1997 Sun Alliance Novices` Hurdle. 'He is so healthy and so well at the moment and everything with him is geared towards next year. It would be great to give him a chance,' said O`Brien. 'As always we are never confident but hopeful. Every year he is a year older and it takes a little more to get him fit but he`ll have his usual four months off and we will aim to bring him back just after Christmas.' The 31-year-old trainer described Istabraq as 'immortal'. He said: 'On his day and at his best he was so far in front of the rest he made it easy for himself. The mileage on the clock wasn`t all hardship. 'He`s irreplaceable and all the money in the world couldn`t buy him.'Meanwhile, Theatreworld, who finished runner-up in three Champion Hurdles, on the last two occasions to his more-illustrious stablemate, is likely to be retired from racing, according to O`Brien. 'He is still with us but his role now is more as a lead horse to the string and it is unlikely he will run again,' said the trainer.
