Sublimity Back For More

Champion Hurdle winner Sublimity returns to the scene of his greatest triumph as he heads a high-class field in tomorrow's Boylesports.com International Hurdle at Cheltenham.

John Carr's charge will be having his first start since his Festival success when he lines up against seven rivals in the two-mile-one-furlong event.

The Nicky Henderson-trained Afsoun finished third in the Champion and will reoppose, while Irish raider Macs Joy runs for Jessica Harrington.

Straw Bear makes his seasonal bow for Nick Gifford while the David Pipe-trained Osana and Paul Nicholls' Desert Quest, who has been chasing of late, have also been declared.

Last season's Triumph Hurdle hero Katchit will tackle his elders once again after finishing third in Newcastle's ?Fighting Fifth' Hurdle and he is one of two runners for trainer Alan King.

Likely outsider and 2005 Triumph winner Penzance also represents the yard.

Desert Quest won the County Hurdle at the Festival in 2006 but fell short in Graded company last term.

Nicholls then switched his sights to chasing and although Desert Quest has won both of his starts over the bigger obstacles this season, the trainer is anticipating a bold show back over hurdles.

'If it stays dry he will run,' said Nicholls.

'He has had a couple of runs over fences and enjoyed himself but there is nothing to lose by running and the ground will suit him.'

Straw Bear was a Grade One winner last term but pulled up after breaking a blood vessel in the Champion Hurdle on his final start.

Gifford reports the six-year-old to be over that problem now and is hoping for a positive reintroduction to the action.

'He's in fantastic shape,' he said.'We took him away for a racecourse gallop and AP (McCoy, jockey) was very pleased with him.

'He's been for another gallop since and I couldn't be happier with him.

'I suppose the question mark is that it's his first run back since bleeding but we've not seen any signs of that since ? he's been as clean as a whistle.

'He wouldn't be 100% wound-up for tomorrow but he will certainly be fit enough to do himself justice.

'The ground might be a bit lively but we hope there will be a bit of cut as he's shown he's better with cut.

'It's a very competitive race ? there's only a couple of them missing ? and hopefully it will be a true-run race and there will be no excuses for anyone.'

Gifford has altered some small factors in Straw Bear's routine and is keeping his fingers crossed that the changes work.

'We think we know why be bled at Cheltenham, he got very worked up and we have tweaked a few things with him this year,' he added.

'He will travel this afternoon and have some time to settle in tonight so we hope that will make a difference.

'I would be delighted if he is there or thereabouts tomorrow and that would keep him on course for the Champion Hurdle.'

Big-race pilot Philip Carberry is looking forward to renewing his partnership with Sublimity.

Carberry has ridden the seven-year-old on each of his six hurdles starts, yielding three wins including his Champion Hurdle success.

'It's exciting ? the start of a new season with him and it's going to be interesting,' he said.

'I've sat on him a couple of times since the race ? I sat on him this morning actually.

'He wasn't doing much today but he seems very well and John says everything has gone according to plan.

'We haven't decided how we will ride him. He's such a versatile horse you can do everything really. It's all gone well, we'll just have to see how he gets on.'

(C) PA Sport