RACING: Irish horses might be dominating the head of the Smurfit Champion Hurdle betting but that may not prevent Royal Shakespeare from trying to upset the home team in Sunday week's AIG at Leopardstown.
The Steve Gollings-trained horse looks like being the only possible overseas challenger for the Grade One contest which despite being down to only 12 entries at present could still host most of hurdling's current big names.
Royal Shakespeare failed by the minimum margin to beat Brave Inca at Punchestown last April but has been on the easy list since running third to Harchibald in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle in November.
Both those horses are set to run in the AIG Champion Hurdle but Gollings is more concerned with his own horse's well-being rather than any opposition.
"He was a very sick horse but is back to his best now and is back in full work. Everything will depend on how he is nearer the time but the AIG Champion Hurdle is an option," Gollings said yesterday.
"His other options are the Red Square Trial at Haydock and the race at Wincanton after that."
Collier Bay in 1996 was the last British-trained AIG Champion Hurdle winner and last year's victor, the French-trained Foreman, is more likely to run in the Baileys Arkle Trophy on the same card if he travels to Leopardstown.
Paddy Power make Royal Shakespeare a 14 to 1 shot for the AIG Champion Hurdle but have left last weekend's Pierse Hurdle-winner Essex out of their betting.
Essex's trainer Michael O'Brien yesterday confirmed he had taken the horse out of the AIG and the horse will instead wait for the Tote Gold Trophy on February 12th.
"I still think the right thing to do is to stay handicapping with him for the moment. If a couple don't come out on the handicap he could still be in on a reasonable weight at Newbury," said O'Brien.
"He is still a long way behind the best hurdlers in the ratings but if he jumps up in the Tote we would definitely let him run in the Champion at Cheltenham."
One horse who will take the leap from handicapping in the AIG is Accordion Etoile who is much more likely to run at Leopardstown rather than take up an entry in the Tote Gold Trophy.
"I would say he is 80 to 90 per cent sure to go for the AIG," said his trainer Paul Nolan yesterday. "Newbury is another option but he wouldn't go unless Rooster Booster carries topweight. I wouldn't run him under such a big weight so close to Cheltenham."
Nolan had less positive news of his Arkle Trophy hope, Cloone River, who is likely to miss out on the Leopardstown equivalent on Sunday week after being found to be "a bit stiff" yesterday morning. Nolan described the horse as "unlikely" to run in the Baileys Arkle.
The Fairyhouse steeplechase track passed an inspection yesterday which will allow Sunday's scheduled feature, the Keogh Normans Grove Chase, go ahead. The going on the chase track is currently heavy and it is soft to heavy on the hurdles course.
The high-class novice Scarthy Lad, currently a 20 to 1 shot with Cashmans, is among the 11 entries for the Normans Grove but his trainer, Thomas O'Leary, confirmed he will be waiting for the Arkle at Leopardstown on Sunday week instead.
O'Leary, who won a Grade Two at Leopardstown last weekend with his other promising novice Newmill, is confident Barry Geraghty will remain on Scarthy Lad after an impressive comeback at Thurles last time.
"Barry will be asked to ride and I would say he won't be swapping after the last performance. Certainly if Newmill was in the race he would be riding him so I would say it will be the same for Scarthy Lad.
"In the autumn we were hoping we would have two brilliant novices, Newmill over longer distances and Scarthy Lad over shorter, so far it is so good.
Newmill will go next for the Dr PJ Moriarty on Hennessy day (February 6th). He came out of his last race in perfect shape," O'Leary said yesterday.
BETTING:(Paddy Power): 11-4 Harchibald and Macs Joy, 9-2 Hardy Eustace and Brave Inca, 7 Accordion Etoile and Solerina, 12 Georges Girl, 14 Royal Shakespeare, 16 Foreman, 20 Power Elite, 33 Sundrop.
