Cowboy declared for Champion bid
Rhinestone Cowboy was a surprise name on the list of declared runners for tomorrow’s Emo Oil Champion Hurdle at Punchestown.
The Jonjo O’Neill-trained eight-year-old is due to take on his stablemate Iris’s Gift in the Ballymore Properties Champion Stayers’ Hurdle at the Irish track today.
O’Neill also has recent impressive Sandown scorer Hasty Prince and Quazar among the 11 horses in tomorrow’s €98,000 contest.
Heading the line-up are Smurfit Champion Hurdle hero Hardy Eustace from Dessie Hughes’s stable and the Philip Hobbs-trained Rooster Booster.
Last year’s Champion Hurdle hero has finished second to Hardy Eustace at Cheltenham and second to Rhinestone Cowboy in the Aintree Hurdle.
Other interesting runners include James Bowe’s Solerina and French raider Roscoff.
