Ground key for champion Dark horse

Sabrina Harty has her fingers crossed the ground at Cheltenham will be more suitable for Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle contender Won In The Dark than it was 12 months ago.

The five-year-old was third in the Triumph Hurdle last March and booked his place when finishing second to 2007 Champion victor Sublimity in the December Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown.

“He ran a cracking race at Leopardstown where the ground came up better for him than it did for the Triumph,” said the County Kildare trainer.

“I’m happy with him and hopefully the ground at Cheltenham will be better than last year.

“The weather isn’t that great for this week, though.”

Harty was pleased with Won In The Dark’s mile-and-a-half spin after racing at Leopardstown on Sunday.

“He didn’t do too serious piece of work just a nice bit and he’s fine,” she added.

“He did a mile and a half and he’d done some good work over two miles, two previous to that. He’s been schooling well, too.”

Davy Russell partnered him in the gallop but no jockey has yet been booked for Cheltenham.

“We can’t say yet,” she commented.

Harty believes there is plenty of value to be had in the ante-post market, with her horse generally available at 33-1.

“I hope he has an each-way chance. It’s very open and there’s plenty of value in it. Brave Inca, for instance, is a big price if there’s cut in the ground,” she added.

“There are also more five-year-olds in it than there’s ever been this year. It’s a funny race.”