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With the countdown to the Cheltenham Festival continuing the 2008 Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle has attracted 38 entries, ten more than in 2007.

And a record 19 hail from Ireland for the £365,000 event run on the opening day of the Festival, Tuesday March 11.

Last year's victor Sublimity is engaged once again along with the 2004/05 hero Hardy Eustace.

Trained in Ireland by John Carr, Sublimity has only raced once since his three length triumph over Brave Inca last year when finishing fourth on his seasonal debut behind Osana at Cheltenham in December.

The Irish challenge also includes Al Eile, winner of the Grade One December Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown last month. Lambourn trainer Nicky Henderson, who sent out See You Then to win the race three times in the 80s, has the largest number of entries with six.

The six hopefuls include Afsoun, who finished third in 2007, Amaretto Rose, third at the Festival last year in the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices Hurdle, Blue Shark and Chomba Womba, a winner of both starts so far this season. The others are Khyber Kim, a Listed class performer on the flat who looked impressive over hurdles at Newbury on his debut and Punjabi, successful in Grade One company at Punchestown.

One of the best novices of last season Katchit, winner of the Triumph Hurdle at the Festival is a local entry.

The Alan King trained five-year-old was successful on his seasonal appearance at Aintree before finishing third behind Harchibald and Al Eele in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle.

Two entries with useful flat form are Blythe Knight and Blue Bajan.

Blythe Knight was a Group three winner at Epsom on Derby day and Blue Bajan, trained by Andy Turnell at Broad Hinton, was a smooth winner at Leicester last month.

However his trainer has stressed he is more likely to go down the novice route this season.

Note books will be out at Cheltenham on Saturday as trainers will be giving some of the Festival hopefuls a run before the big meeting.

Feature race on the card is the Byrne Group Cleeve Hurdle run over three miles and includes last year's winner the Barbary Castle trained Blazing Bailey,champion staying hurdler Inglis Drever,who will be ridden by Richard Johnson for the first time.

The Jonjo O'Neill trained Witchita Lineman and last weekend's high profile winners Lough Derg and Labelthou.

It should be a cracking race for Channel 4 racing fans with this column's selection the locally trained Blazing Bailey.

Alan King could also have the answer to the Juvenile Novices Hurdle with his Triumph Hurdle hope Franchoek.

The Grade Two Lethaby and Christopher Chase has attracted some Gold Cup entries and could be a chance for Exotic Dancer to open his account for the season.

But tough opposition is likely to come from Our Vic, Neptune Collanges and Knowhere.

The meeting gets underway at 1pm with the Grade Two Ballymore Properties Novices Hurdle that could go to the Nicky Henderson trained Aigle d'Or, the mount of Mick Fitzgerald.

New Little Bric, trained by Paul Nicholls, could make amends for his poor run last time out by going close in the Grade Three Trophy Chase.

Other meetings are scheduled for Doncaster, where their feature race the Skybet .com Handicap Chase could be won by Natal, Uttoxeter.

Parts of the course are under water and there is also all weather action at Lingfield and Wolverhampton.

Worth an interest at Lingfield could be the Peter Makin trained Louphole.

And at Wolverhampton, Mexican Pete could be the one to put your money on.

10:14am Thursday 24th January 2008

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