PADDY FLOOD and Cuan Na Grai will attempt to add to their finest moment together when they team up in tomorrow's Ladbroke Hurdle at Ascot.
Along with Noel Meade's Sky Hall and Mourne Rambler from Tony Martin's yard, Cuan Na Grai will fly the Irish flag in the €160,000 feature for which 21 horses were declared yesterday.
They include the JP McManus-owned duo of Aigle D'Or and Belcantista, who has been an ante-post gamble for the race. Topweight will be the David Pipe-trained Ashkazar.
Ground conditions are likely to be soft which will be very different to over two years when Flood partnered Cuan Na Grai to make all the running in the Galway Hurdle on quick going.
The Paul Nolan-trained horse hasn't run since October when finishing fourth behind Megans Joy in a Grade Two hurdle at Tipperary.
The 7lb claimer Luke McNiff will partner Sky Hall for Meade in the race while Robbie Colgan teams up with Mourne Rambler.
Tony McCoy's mount Aigle D'Or remains a general 5 to 1 favourite to continue trainer Nicky Henderson's recent big race hot streak.
