Horse Racing: Back Brave to Storm Up the Hill

Eighteen runners go to post for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle, the biggest field since Istabraq recorded the first of his three victories in 1998. But for betting purposes only six matter, and it will be a major shock if the winner is not one of Al Eile, Arcalis, Brave Inca, Hardy Eustace, Macs Joy and Asian Maze.

The Howard Johnson-trained Arcalis should be capable of preventing the clean sweep for Irish trainers which saw them provide the first five home last year. However, the 2005 Supreme Novice Hurdle winner will have to be right back to his best if he is to contain Brave Inca.

Beaten a neck and the same into third behind Hardy Eustace and Harchibald 12 months ago, Brave Inca looks an even more powerful force with the strength of Tony McCoy behind him. The champion jockey has been beaten only once in five races since teaming up with Brave Inca, and he is of the opinion that Colm Murphy's eight-year-old had more in the tank when beating Macs Joy by a length in the Irish Champion Hurdle last time.

Macs Joy defeated Brave Inca on three occasions in the first half of last season, but since then McCoy's mount has held the advantage. We know Brave Inca finishes strongly up the hill here - he won the Supreme Novice two seasons ago - and there seems no reason why he should not confirm last year's Champion Hurdle form with Macs Joy, who was fifth.

Hardy Eustace, bidding to become only the sixth horse to win the race three times, ran a shocker behind Brave Inca and Macs Joy at Leopardstown. Even if he is forgiven that effort, and responds to the first-time visor, Hardy Eustace will find today's race different from the last two seasons when Conor O'Dwyer was allowed to dictate a stop-go gallop from the front. There are at least four confirmed front-runners in the field this time.

Arcalis showed his class when quickening off a fast pace to win the opener here last year, and with the drying ground in his favour he can bounce back to his best to prove the main challenge to Brave Inca (3.15)

The speed of former Flat winner Arcalis was decisive in the opener last season, and Crow Wood (2.00) comes into today's race with similar credentials. He weakened on the run-in when fourth here in November but that was on soft ground.

Crow Wood impressed when winning a handicap hurdle at Musselburgh last month, and has also had a spin on the all-weather. He looks better value than Noel Meade's Sweet Wake, who has won his two hurdle races without coming off the bridle but is a short enough price based on what he has actually achieved.

The Arkle Trophy looks a race to savour. Racing Demon (2.35) is inclined to jump out to his right, which could prove costly here, but he went close in last year's SunAlliance Novice Hurdle and his form over fences this season cannot be faulted.

Irish trainers do not have a great record in the William Hill Trophy but Noel Meade looks to have given No Half Session (4.00) a crafty preparation and has run the gelding twice over hurdles since his impressive Punchestown win, thus protecting his handicap mark.

Enda Bolger has taken a similar route with Good Step (4.40), who should be spot-on for the Cross Country Chase. The Fred Winter Hurdle looks impossible but better ground, a big field and the likely strong pace could see Rosecliff (5.20) in the shake-up.