Champion Favourite All Set For Sandown

Detroit City, favourite in the ante-post lists for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle, is all set to run in Saturday's Agfa UK Hurdle at Sandown.

The £30,000 Listed contest attracted just seven initial entries and has been reopened until 9.15am on Tuesday morning ? but owner Terry Warner says it is all systems go for his star.

Not seen since holding off subsequent AIG Champion hero Hardy Eustace at Cheltenham in November, Philip Hobbs' inmate will aim to notch his seventh straight win over timber before tackling the ultimate test on March 13.

'He is definitely going to run unless there is an absolute deluge. He's about 99.9 per cent certain to run,' Warner said.

'I imagine there won't be a lot (of runners) in the race because of the handicapping issues ? if you get anywhere near a good horse you tend to get lumbered with a high handicap mark for the rest of the season.

'I think it's a pity for everyone as they are frightened to take him on, but that's fine from my point of view. Everything's right and he just needs to go out and win now.'

Warner was pleased to see the form of Detroit City's latest win franked in Ireland yesterday and still feels his charge is the one to beat at Cheltenham.

'I wasn't surprised that Hardy Eustace won it and I was wanting him to win it really,' he said.

'But I'm more confident than ever and I don't think this five-year-old thing will matter too much to him.

'They said before Liverpool that horses don't win those two races (Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham and 4-Y-O Novices' Hurdle at Aintree), but he went and won there and he just keeps on improving.'

(C) PA Sport