IF THE handicapper's assessment that Danoli ran a stone below his best in Sunday's AIG Europe Champion Hurdle is correct, it follows that he will have to improve a stone in the next seven weeks if he is to have any chance in the Champion Hurdle.

Danoli's best effort to date was to finish a seven lengths third in last year's Champion Hurdle when, arguably, he would have finished second behind Alderbrook had he not blundered badly over the third last. However, Alderbrook, who was rated .7lb ahead of Danoli last season, fairly sprinted home to win by five lengths on what was only his third effort over hurdles.

Danoli, trainer Tom Foley and the horse's vets certainly deserved the plaudits after that extraordinary comeback on Sunday, but I would be reluctant to back Danoli for the Champion Hurdle. At his current odds. He will benefit enormously from the so badly needed outing, but if the handicapper is right, he must improve a lot more to win the championship - an event he will not even contest in the event of very fast ground.

Indeed, it would be an act of the utmost folly to back any horse for the Champion Hurdle at any stage before the day itself as the underfoot conditions will play a crucial role. Not only for Danoli but also for Alderbrook, who needs soft ground; for Hotel Minella and Montelado, who both require good ground; and for Sunday's winner, the progressive Collier Bay, another soft going specialist.

Montelado may have disappointed supporters on Sunday, but it was not his ground and he had not run over hurdles since his much needed outing in the Champion Hurdle last March. He goes straight to Cheltenham, and if the going is fast and he is back to his best, he will have a big chance.

Similarly, one must expect improvement from the Aidan O'Brien trained Hotel Minella, lightly raced over hurdles and crying out for better ground. At the current odds, he and Montelado may represent value, but it is surely advisable to wait for the day.

The bulk of Gowran Park's Thyestes Chase winners have come from between the 10st to 11st brigade, for the obvious reason that the ground is generally soft at this time of year. Today's going will he extremely testing and this will suit Wylde Hide, who carries the same weight as when winning last year's renewal by four lengths.

However, Arthur Moore's charge faces much stiffer opposition on this occasion. Royal Mountbrowne overcame some jumping errors to win the Leopardstown Chase, eased down by eight lengths, and on similar going. He will be fancied to credit Charlie Swan with his first winner in this Toyota sponsored event and on Leopardstown running can be expected to confirm placings with Fissure Seal and Wylde Hide.

Fiftysevenchannels won his second race this year when giving almost a stone and a beating to last year's Thyestes third, Its A Cracker, over two miles at Fairyhouse. This Richard Dunwoody partnered former point to pointer will be more suited to today's distance and has a handy weight. He is an improving young chaser and is taken to beat Love And Porter, who defeated the odds on Monalee River at Thurles.

Brave Fountain will be backed to win the Toyota Corolla Maiden Hurdle, but I prefer the Jessica Harrington trained Grange Court.