TRAINER Noel Meade yesterday stated his intention to run Harchibald in the Smurfit Champion Hurdle next week “unless we find something really wrong with him”.

Last year’s winner Earthmover is among a record 44 entries for the Christie’s Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham.

QUEEN ASTRID is fancied to land the best race of the weekend in Ireland, the Woodlands Park 100 Johnstown Novice Hurdle at Naas tomorrow.

CARRIGEEN VICTOR, having only the fourth race of his life and a third over fences, stamped himself the best staying novice chaser in the country when taking the Dr P J Moriarty Chase at Leopardstown yesterday.

LORD OF THE TURF, who hinted at a return to form at Naas last time, gets the vote to land the featured Hugh McMahon Memorial Novice Chase at Limerick this afternoon.