Smurfit Champion Hurdle - Analysis

The Smurfit Champion Hurdle has attracted a top-class entry of 35 horses, the same number as last year, including 13 entries from Ireland, who dominated last year's contest, five from France and one from Germany.

Hardy Eustace has won the Smurfit Champion Hurdle for the past two seasons and will bid to join the select list of three-time winners that comprises Istabraq (1998-2000), See You Then (1985-1987), Persian War (1968-1970), Sir Ken (1952-1954) and Hatton's Grace (1949-1951). The Dessie Hughes-trained nine-year-old has only had one race this season, when winning a three-runner race at Punchestown on New Year's Eve, and will be out to confirm his status as the best two-mile hurdler in training.

The dual-champion could be re-opposed by the two horses that chased him home last year, headed by the enigmatic Harchibald. A hugely talented individual, Noel Meade's star has won two races this term, including the Grade Two totesport Bula Hurdle at Cheltenham in December. He is currently sidelined with an injury and Meade has made no secret of the fact that it is a race against time to get him to Cheltenham on March 14.

The Colm Murphy-trained Brave Inca, who finished third behind his two Irish compatriots last year, has also been in good form this season, beating Harchibald by three lengths last time in the Grade One bewleyshotels.com December Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown last month. He is already a Festival winner, having lifted the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices' Hurdle in 2004.

Brave Inca could be joined in this contest by stablemate Feathard Lady, unbeaten in seven starts and a decisive winner of the Christmas Hurdle at Sandown on Boxing Day. She was thought to be in danger of missing the Smurfit Champion Hurdle although Murphy has recently issued a more upbeat prognosis.

Macs Joy, trained by Jessica Harrington, John Queally's Al Eile, and Essex from the Michael O'Brien stable all ran in last year's race and will be looking to get closer to Hardy Eustace this time round.

The Irish entries are completed by prolific winner Asian Maze, trained by Tom Mullins, although she is more likely to head for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, Mick Halford's Golden Cross, a runner-up to Solerina on his latest start, John Murphy's Newmill, third in the bewleyshotels.com December Festival Hurdle last time, Willie Mullins' Sadlers Wings, Noel Meade's novice Arch Rebel, and Tolpuddle, trained by Tommy Stack, who has yet to run over hurdles but won the 2004 Irish Lincolnshire Handicap and has twice scored in Listed company.

The home challenge is spearheaded by the Howard Johnson-trained Arcalis, last year's Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices' Hurdle victor, who looked better than ever when running away with the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle in November on his only start this season.

Lingo, for the powerful team of trainer Jonjo O'Neill and owner J P McManus, put up a great performance to take the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham on November 13 but has not been seen since, while the consistent Royal Shakespeare, trained by Steve Gollings, claimed the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton on November 5, defeating Intersky Falcon by a length and a half.

Alan King's Penzance and Faasel from the Nicky Richards stable finished first and second in last season's JCB Triumph Hurdle at The Festival and look to step up on their juvenile form, as does the Richard Guest-trained Admiral, while Len Lungo's novice Rasharrow has won both his starts over hurdles, having also finished third to Missed That in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at last year's Festival.

Evergreen 12-year-old The French Furze is the second of Nicky Richards' two entries and looked in grand from when defeating Mighty Man at Cheltenham on New Year's Day in the Steel Plate & Sections Hurdle. The Venetia Williams-trained Chief Yeoman has shown decent form in handicap company this season but would have to make improvement to figure, as would Dusky Warbler, trained by Gary Moore, who acquitted himself well in some decent novice contests last season, including when third to Arcalis in the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

Sh Boom, now in the care of Steve Brookshaw, has competed in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle for the past two seasons, while Perle De Puce, trained by Nicky Henderson, has failed to reproduce his decent hurdle form in three runs over fences this season.

An interesting entry is United, trained by Lucy Wadham, who is unbeaten in three starts over hurdles but who has not raced since winning a Grade One hurdle race at Punchestown back in April. She is likely to return in the totesport Gold Trophy at Newbury in February. The Seamus Mullins-trained Kawagino and Roger Brookhouse's Leo's Luckyman complete the home defence but both look outclassed in this championship contest.

The French-trained possibles include two from the La Palmyre yard of Arnaud Chaille-Chaille, in Ambobo and Sunspot, both owned by Sean Mulryan. The former has not been seen out since landing the Grade Two Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham in January, 2005, while the latter last ran at Auteuil in November, finishing third to Millenium Royal.

High Moon, trained by Richard Chotard, and the Phillippe Cottin-trained pair of Astonville and Turnium represent owner Fergus Wilson and complete the French entry.

The German-trained entry is Fiepes Shuffle, in the care of Christian Von der Recke, a Group race winner over seven furlongs on the Flat in Germany. He has also won twice over hurdles and twice over fences.

The German handler reported: 'Fiepes Shuffle had a problem with a leg and had a wind operation, but he has come back since and won emphatically on the Flat. I would like to send him to Sandown for the Agfa Hurdle on Saturday, February 4, and if he runs into the frame there he will go for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle.'