Irish Champion Hurdle

BHP Insurances Irish Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) (4yo+)ATR
Soft 2m Number of runners: 13

E110,000.00 guaranteed For 4yo+ Weights 4yo 10st 8lb; 5yo 11st 8lb; 6yo+ 1st 10lb Allowances mares 5lb


1  11136-  Dunguib  8   5/1

2  131-11  Hurricane Fly   7  4/6 Fav

3  1111-1  Peddlers Cross 6  Doubtful

4  62-122  Solwhit  7 9/4

5  223-41  Sublimity  11   20/1

6  013-74  Thousand Stars   7 25/1

7  39-123  Voler La Vedette39   7  14/1


DUNGUIB looks set to make his seasonal reappearance in the Grade 1 BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle after featuring among the seven entries for the €71,500 race over 2m at Leopardstown, for which he is 9-2 third favourite.
 
Dunguib went into last year's Supreme Novices' Hurdle as one of the hottest fancies of the Cheltenham Festival but disappointed, finishing third behind Menorah and Get Me Out Of Here.

He then disappointed at the Punchestown Festival in the Rabobank Champion Hurdle, finishing sixth behind Hurricane Fly, Solwhit and Thousand Stars, who could all line up in opposition on Sunday.

Charles Byrnes wasn't in a confident mood at the entries stage. He said: "Solwhit is going to run in the Irish Champion. He has come out of the Paddy Power Festival Hurdle very well when the race turned into a sprint.

"He would have preferred more of a gallop although he would still not have beaten Hurricane Fly but they would then probably have been a long way ahead of the third.

"The chance of beating Hurricane Fly on Sunday are very, very slim as  Hurricane appears to be settling better in his races now and he is much better at the end of his races than he previously was.

"But there is good prize money - €22,000 for second place - but that won't be easy as there are a few other good ones in it including Dunguib and Voler La Vedette and it looks a cracking race.

"Later on I felt to be fair to the horse he was entitled to have an entry in the English Champion Hurdle but we would be looking more at Aintree.

"I have absolutely no regrets that he's around at the same time as Hurricane Fly. He's won six Grade 1's and we're delighted to be there and if Hurricane wasn't around, something else would be."

Champion Hurdle second favourite Hurricane Fly could challenge for his third Grade 1 success of the season and heads the market at 4-6 from Solwhit at 100-30. His trainer Willie Mullins added: "I'm very happy with the horse going into the race."

Former Champion Hurdle winner Sublimity, Voler La Vedette and Peddlers Cross, although Peddlers Cross is more likely to run at Haydock on Saturday, which trainer Donald McCain reiterated on Tuesday.