ON THE day that the entries were revealed for the Champion Hurdle, Noel Meade finally conceded that Harchibald, the most gifted if infuriating of all the contenders, will not make it to Cheltenham on March 14. Injured in defeat at Leopardstown over Christmas, Harchibald has now been ruled out until next season.
This is the outcome Meade anticipated when Harchibald was admitted for complicated surgery after it was discovered that a shard of birch had penetrated a tendon. Subsequent medical bulletins shed more optimism on the situation, however, and the horse was still trading at 5-1 when he appeared among 35 entries for the Cheltenham showpiece yesterday.
By evening, however, he was out of contention, after a discussion between Meade, the Co Meath trainer, and the surgeon, Hugh Dillon. “We had a long chat and we’ve made the decision that we’re not going to train him again this season,” Meade said. “Hugh thinks it’s best to give him time.
“It was clear that he wasn’t going to be ready for Cheltenham and we didn’t want to rush him back for Punchestown. We are pretty hopeful that he will make a 100 per cent recovery and the wound has healed very well, but with a horse like this you don’t take risks.”
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Ireland still has a mighty hand for the race, which could yet be strengthened by Asian Maze, who has been given an entry for both the Champion and the World Hurdle. Not seen since winning grade one novice events at Aintree and Punchestown last spring, the mare could return at Naas on Saturday then run in the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham the next week.
More than half the entries for the Champion are from overseas and the shallowness of the British challenge is indicated by the reopening of Haydock’s Champion Hurdle Trial on Saturday.
Arcalis and Faasel are expected to line up but Penzance, winner of the Triumph Hurdle last March, has not been entered. “It will be heavy ground at Haydock and I wouldn’t run him on that,” Alan King, his trainer, said. “The Tote Gold Trophy and the Kingwell are the options I have in mind.”
King has an interesting candidate in Haydock’s other feature race, having nominated Kandjar d’Allier to take on Kingscliff as the Gold Cup favourite returns to handicap company for the Peter Marsh Chase.
Robert Alner is not among the tub-thumpers of training, so there was significance to his positive mood yesterday as he committed Kingscliff to carrying top weight. “We aim to go, definitely,” he said at Plumpton. “He’s a good horse and I want him to prove it.”
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Only 12 have been entered and Kingscliff is likely to have most trouble with Lord Transcend. Alner, though, was unconcerned. “There are always dangers in a race but it won’t put me off,” he said. “I’m very happy with our horse and I just want to race him now. There’s no point in waiting, especially as they are talking of good to firm ground at Cheltenham the following week.”
Alner confirmed that the ride will return to Robert Walford, who had to sit out the Christmas period with a broken collarbone and missed Kingscliff’s disappointing show under Tony Dobbin in the King George VI Chase. Comprehensive tests showed the horse was suffering from nothing other than “a slightly stiff neck” and Alner admitted yesterday: “It was very strange that he didn’t go a yard after making one mistake. But I’m not going to say he ‘s a soft horse on that evidence — he had to battle hard to win the Betfair Chase at Haydock and that is the horse I think he is.”
As one Cheltenham favourite returns, another remains elusive. Racing Demon, twice withdrawn because of the ground concerns of Henrietta Knight, his trainer, will now miss his potential engagements this week for quite different reasons — he has a burst abscess on a tooth.
CHELTENHAM BETTING
CHAMPION HURDLE: Ladbrokes: 7-2 Arcalis, Hardy Eustace, 4-1 Brave Inca, 5-1 Feathard Lady, 6-1 Lingo, 14-1 Faasel, 20-1 Essex, 25-1 Macs Joy, 33-1 Al Eile, Penzance, United, 40-1 others. William Hill: 5-2 Feathard Lady (with a run), 7-2 Hardy Eustace, 4-1 Arcalis, Brave Inca, 7-1 Lingo, 16-1 Faasel, 25-1 Al Eile, 33-1 Essex, Macs Joy, Penzance, 40-1 others. totesport: 100-30 Brave Inca, Hardy Eustace, 4-1 Arcalis, Feathard Lady, 7-1 Lingo, 14-1 Faasel, 25-1 Essex, Macs Joy, 33-1 others.
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QUEEN MOTHER CHAMPION CHASE: Ladbrokes: 7-4 Kauto Star, 7-2 Moscow Flyer, 8-1 Ashley Brook, Central House, Fota Island, 10-1 Kario De Sormain, Watson Lake, 12-1 Cloone River, 16-1 Hi Cloy, 20-1 others. William Hill: 6-4 Kauto Star, 3-1 Moscow Flyer, 13-2 Ashley Brook, 9-1 Fota Island, 10-1 Central House, Watson Lake, 12-1 Cloone River, 14-1 Kario De Sormain, 16-1 others. totesport: 7-4 Kauto Star, 3-1 Moscow Flyer, 8-1 Ashley Brook, 9-1 Central House, Fota Island, Watson Lake, 11-1 Cloone River, 16-1 Accordion Etoile, Contraband, Kario De Sormain, 20-1 others.