With Istabraq having the Champion Hurdle betting to himself, William Hill have issued betting on the Smurfit-sponsored feature without Aidan O'Brien's odds-on favourite.

Although punters evidently consider Istabraq, 4 to 7 to repeat his Cheltenham success of last year, unbackable, they are struggling to find an alternative to the bay, which has led to a stagnation in the ante-post Champion market, according to Hill's PRO David Hood.

The firm make Ferdy Murphy's French Holly, no match for Istabraq in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown last month, their 3 to 1 favourite.