Racing News round-up: Davenport Milenium and Solerina may be fighting it out at the top of the ante-post betting for Sunday's AIG Europe Champion Hurdle, but it is still not certain if they will actually end up fighting it out on the track.
Both horses have alternative engagements on Saturday - Davenport Milenium at Cheltenham and Solerina at Naas - and those closest to them intend on leaving it at as late as possible before deciding where they will go.
"Solerina is also in the Bank Of Ireland Hurdle at Naas and at this stage it is 50-50 where she will run. I don't intend to make my mind up until 9.55 on Friday morning just before declaration time!" said Michael Bowe, son of permit holder James Bowe, yesterday.
"And since I don't have to decide about a jockey until 11.55 on Friday I can't tell you who will ride yet either. We will have a look at the entries and the forecast and see how everything is. There is a big difference in prizemoney between the two races but I'm not one to be complaining about prize-money," he added.
Willie Mullins continues to ponder the choice of Leopardstown's Grade One prize or Cheltenham's Grade Two Cleeve Hurdle over a half mile further distance for Davenport Milenium.
Paddy Power installed the Mullins runner as their 5 to 2 AIG favourite yesterday after just nine horses were left in the big race at the forfeit stage. They include the sole-British entry Flame Creek as well as the Thierry Doumen-trained, JP McManus-owned Foreman who ran behind Intersky Falcon at Kempton last month.
Mullins said: "I would like to have a crack at our Champion Hurdle but on the other side of that going to Cheltenham again will do him no harm either.
"We will see what the weather is like. The ground may prove better at Cheltenham but it is always easier to race at home rather than box them to England. He will work on Tuesday. If he works well it will be a tough call but if he doesn't he won't be going for either race."
Cashmans make Spirit Leader their 5 to 2 favourite to reverse Christmas form with Golden Cross but Michael Bowe is hopeful of Solerina (fourth in the Bewleys Hurdle) making a bigger impact on the two milers if the conditions are more testing this time.
"The heavier it is the better for her. It would also help if the track was a little wider this time. I would be hopeful in those circumstances. But even so we still have five or six lengths to make up on the three that finished in front of her. Before that though we will have to see about the ground," he said. The ground at Leopardstown yesterday was "soft" on the chase course but "yielding to soft" on the hurdles course. Little change is expected by Sunday.
"The forecast is not too bad with things supposed to get a bit colder by the weekend. It doesn't look like it will change too much," said Leopardstown's racing manager, Tom Burke.
Noel Chance sends Flame Creek who will try and become the first cross-channel based winner of the race since Collier Bay in 1996. Two other British trained horses won in the 1990s, Royal Derbi (1993) and Nomadic Way (1990.)
Kicking King has been made a 7 to 4 favourite by Cashmans to win Sunday's main supporting race, the Baileys Arkle Trophy, and get his revenge on the Dennys winner Central House. The latter is disputing 11 to 4 second favouritism with Dermot Weld's Direct Bearing who won impressively on his first start over fences.
It has also been reported that Weld has taken charge of the career of last year's Australian Oaks winner Sunday Joy. The ex-Gai Waterhouse-trained filly will leave Australia next month and it is understood the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe will be her big European target in the upcoming flat season.
