Irish trio among 12 entered for Welsh Champion Hurdle

De Valira, Won In The Dark and Donnas Palm all feature among the 12 entries for the SIS Live Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las on Saturday.

De Valira had Won In The Dark well behind when fourth to Solwhit in Grade 1 company at Leopardstown over Christmas, while Donnas Palm easily landed the odds in the Grade 2 Tara Hurdle at Navan last month.

Punjabi also features among the entries, and would be having his second race of the winter after finishing fourth to Khyber Kim in the Boylesports.com International last month. Alan King's Medermit, who was eight lengths ahead of Punjabi in that race, may also line up.

Completing the dozen are Blue Bajan, Dreams Jewel, Mutual Friend, Nortonthorpe Lad, Red Moloney, Treaty Flyer and William Hogarth.

However, officials at Ffos Las are praying for a rise in temperatures ahead of their high-profile meeting.

The track is currently unraceable and clerk of the course Tim Long told At The Races: "We couldn't race at the moment and although we've got the take-offs and landings protected, we have got frost in the ground. It is starting to warm up here now but we are forecast another sharp frost, which is a bit of a concern.

"Thereafter, temperatures are forecast to be not quite so low. We're just hoping Wednesday and Thursday are less cold and then we can sheet completely to give us every chance on Saturday.

"As well as the cold temperatures there is the possibility of snow towards the end of the week so if we got snow on top of the covers that would be an additional problem.

"We can only take it day by day but we can't put the covers down while the ground is frozen as that would only keep the frost in the ground. We'll do the best we can."