JIM OLD has confirmed his Champion Hurdle third favourite Collier Bay will go straight to Cheltenham without another run. Collier Bay's odds were slashed after the six-year-old's success in Sunday's AIG (Europe) Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown.

I am sure we won't run him before Cheltenham," said the Banbury Castle trainer yesterday. "There is only one other race for him, the Agfa Hurdle, and that comes too quick.

"So I'll probably give him a little break and then prepare him for Cheltenham. He only came back from Ireland last night and there's no damage to him."

Old stressed again Collier Bay would only line up at Cheltenham if the ground was on the soft side. "The wetter the better for him. Of all my hurdlers like Mole Board, Cima and Simpson, who have needed soft or heavy ground, none of them would want it heavier than him.

"But I think he is still an improving horse and getting stronger. I wasn't surprised by Sunday's win, after all the race was an early-closing one so I was well aware of his potential."

Old said Mole Board's run in the two mile, five furlong Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday was likely to decide whether the 14-year-old had another tilt at the Champion or went for the Stayer's Hurdle instead.

But Old said his Killone Abbot was likely to bypass the championship races in favour of the Coral Cup.

Ray Bell, who owned two champion two-year-olds, Windy City (1951) and The Pie King (1953), both trained by Paddy Prendergast, has died in California, aged 96.

Windy City cost him only 700 guineas and won the Phoenix Stakes and the Gimcrack Stakes. The Pie King, another bargain buy at 1,850 guineas, was successful in the Coventry, Richmond and Gimcrack Stakes.

Tramore have been granted permission to transfer their postponed January 11th meeting to next Wednesday. Entries close tomorrow at noon.