Hard to oppose Harchibald

THE solution to the John James McManus Memorial Hurdle at Tipperary tomorrow very much centres on the state of the ground.

It was officially yielding, yielding to soft in places yesterday on the National Hunt track and if that is the case by race time, or even a little softer, then the multi-talented Harchibald can do the business.

No horse travels better on the bridle than Noel Meade’s six-year-old and he simply oozes class. Harchibald enjoyed a terrific campaign last season, ending with narrow defeats at Cheltenham and Punchestown.