Top Novice Ebaziyan Could Take On Champion Big Four

Willie Mullins' Cheltenham Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Ebaziyan could take on the first four home from this year's Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle in what promises to be a superb renewal of the EUR200,000 ACCBank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown on Friday, April 27.

Sublimity, Brave Inca, Afsoun and Hardy Eustace, who filled the first four places at Cheltenham, are all entered as is the disappointing favourite Detroit City. Iktitaf, who was travelling well when falling three out there, was today confirmed a likely starter for the Grade 1 event in which last year ACCBank Champion Hurdle scorer Macs Joy and the progressive Pedrobob, winner of the Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle, are also among an eye-catching 24-strong entry.

Mullins has also entered Ebaziyan in the Grade 1 Land Rover Champion Novice Hurdle but admitted he is seriously considering taking on the big guns in the ACCBank Champion Hurdle.

'The ACCBank Champion Hurdle is a serious consideration at this time - I thought he merited an entry - and you don't know what's going to happen between now and Punchestown. On the evidence of his Cheltenham run he has the class to play a part in the top races. I'd imagine he'll probably run in the two-mile novice hurdle, but we'll see,' said Mullins.

'I was very impressed with Ebaziyan at Cheltenham and he has come out of the race well. He is starting to show some of the talent we thought he had when we bought him. The fast pace that day suited him really well and his Flat racing experience came into use when he had to battle between the two horses after the last.

'We thought a fair bit of him last year but he got injured, so we put him away, and he was slow to come to hand this season after having so much time off. He's only had three runs over hurdles and is a nice horse to look forward to.

'I was actually very disappointed to get beaten the first day at Cork, but talking to the trainers of the winner and the third, they rate their horses highly, so I got a bit of hope from that.'

If he lines up in the ACCBank Champion Novice Hurdle, Ebaziyan is set to face the Noel Meade-trained Iktitaf, who looked likely to trouble the principals when falling in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle.

Meade revealed today: 'Iktitaf is in great form. He got a little bruise on a hind leg when he fell but he's over it and there has been no hold up with him. He won't run before Punchestown - he'll go straight there and we'll be hoping that the ground will be good for him. He seems to be a lot better on better ground.

'There was a lot of racing to do when he fell at Cheltenham but at the same time there was no reason to believe that he wasn't going to be concerned in the finish. Barry (Geraghty) certainly thought he was going very well.'

Meade could also saddle Harchibald and Grade 1 Stan James Christmas Hurdle winner Jazz Messenger in the Punchestown race.

'Hopefully Harchibald will be OK for the race,' added Meade. 'We missed Cheltenham with him but he seems to be going along the right way at the moment, so hopefully we'll be able to get him there in one piece.

'He ran a good race first time up, he just got tired that day. His last run at Gowran was on desperate ground and I think as he's got a little bit older he doesn't like that, so we just want reasonable ground for him. He's in good shape and we're very happy with him at the moment.

'Jazz Messenger was intended to go to Japan but we were a little bit unhappy with him when he worked last week - he just wasn't 100 per cent right. Quite possibly, the ACCBank Champion Hurdle might be his main target now.

'He seems to be OK but he was going to have to go to Japan this week and he would have had to do a lot of schooling, which I was concerned about when I wasn't happy with him. I had to make a decision so it was enough for us to decide not to go to Japan.

'Hopefully he'll get to Punchestown OK as he seems fine. Quite possibly, the ACCBank Champion Hurdle might be his main target now.'

Brave Inca, Hardy Eustace and Afsoun are also among an outstanding 46-strong entry for the EUR200,000 Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa Champion Stayers' Hurdle run over three miles on the Irish National Hunt Festival's third day, Thursday, April 26.

Others engaged in the Grade 1 event include Black Jack Ketchum, who could bid to bounce back after falling at the third hurdle in Cheltenham's Ladbrokes World Hurdle, from which Mighty Man, Blazing Bailey and United - respectively second, third and fourth - have also been entered at Punchestown.

The Willie Mullins-trained Black Harry, who fell at the last when running a great race in the Brit Insurance Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham, is set to step up from novice company for the championship event.

'Black Harry travelled too well at Cheltenham - he was pulling too hard in the race - and I'm looking forward to sending him over fences next year, when I think we'll see the best of him,' said Mullins.

'He was quite stiff after his fall and he's been receiving physio. I have him in the three-mile Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa Champion Stayers' Hurdle as he'll get the trip no problem, and I think he's well up to that level. He's had a very sheltered life up to now and I think he's strong enough to take it.'

Part-time doctor Richard Newland has entered his Coral Cup winner Burntoakboy in the Grade 1 event while Pertemps Final first and second Oscar Park and Material World, are other stars from Cheltenham who could line up in the Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa Champion Stayers' Hurdle.

The Irish National Hunt Festival runs from Tuesday, April 24, to Friday, April 27, and offers record prize money of EUR2.5 million this year.

The going at Punchestown is now SOFT