Eustace set to face 14 rivals in Champion
Dessie Hughes’s eight-year-old will be trying to follow up on last year’s win in the Grade One race, when he beat Rooster Booster by five lengths.
Philip Hobbs’ runner will reoppose Hardy Eustace this time as will the Jonjo O’Neill-trained Intersky Falcon, who was third in that race.
Hardy Eustace, the general 3-1 favourite, leads an eight-strong Irish contingent with his main market rival Back In Front also declared by Edward O’Grady.
Noel Meade’s Harchibald was the race favourite until last weekend when he disappointed in a piece of work, but he also runs along with Colm Murphy’s Brave Inca and the Jessica Harrington-trained Macs Joy.
The Irish raiding party is completed by Michael O’Brien’s totesport Trophy Hurdle winner Essex, Paul Nolan’s Accordion Etoile and the John Queally-trained Al Eile.
Along with Rooster Booster and Intersky Falcon, home interests will be represented by the Steve Gollings-trained Royal Shakespeare, Patrick Chamings’ Self Defense and Michael Scudamore’s rank outsiders Astonville, Present Bleu and Turnium.
The only withdrawal at the final declaration stage was the Scudamore-trained Solarius.
Essex, who has also won the Pierse Hurdle this term, will be ridden for the first time by champion jockey Tony McCoy.
“I was very happy with Essex when I schooled him the other morning. He’s in good form. He’s been well placed to win two handicaps this year and seems to be improving,” McCoy told At The Races.
“There’s no doubt Hardy Eustace is still the one to beat but hopefully Essex is going the right way.”
Richard Johnson will once again be aboard 2003 hero Rooster Booster.
“He hasn’t had a race run to suit him all season and at Kempton, which isn’t his ideal track, Harchibald definitely had to work to get to him,” he told Racing UK.
“He won comfortably in the last 10 strides or so but on that form he can’t be that far away from the rest of the Irish horses. I think most days 7lb separates them all. I just hope he runs well.”
