Odds of just over 4 to 1 are all that's available about Dylan Thomas and Red Evie pulling off a repeat of their 2006 Group One double at Leopardstown's prestigious Champion Stakes meeting tomorrow.
Dylan Thomas will face five opponents in the Tattersalls sponsored feature, one less than last year when he was a neck too good for Ouija Board, after the final field for the mile and a quarter feature was declared yesterday.
The line-up also includes two other Aidan O'Brien runners, Duke Of Marmalade and Red Rock Canyon. The sole filly will be the dual Guineas heroine Finsceal Beo who steps up to 10 furlongs for the first time while the British challenge consists of the Breeders' Cup winner Red Rocks and the Michael Stoute-trained Maraahel.
The final line-up didn't have any impact on ante-post betting and Dylan Thomas is still a best priced 8 to 11 to become the first double winner of the Champion Stakes.
Red Evie will also be back to defend her Coolmore Fusaichi Pegasus Matron Stakes crown also, and Michael Bell's filly is a 2 to 1 favourite to win again.
Red Evie will face eight opponents with Echelon, Brashiba and Sweet Lily also travelling from Britain. The Newmarket Guineas runner-up Arch Swing will lead the home defence for John Oxx.
The track authorities at Leopardstown began watering yesterday morning and will take another look at the course today to see if more will be needed.
"We put an hour's worth of water all round the track and we're anticipating that will be enough. But we will look at it again in the morning," said the Leopardstown manager Tom Burke.
"We're hoping to keep it at good to firm. Once it is safe ground we will be happy."
Aidan O'Brien will also be triple-handed in Sunday's Group One Prix Du Moulin at Longchamp after a late decision to supplement Archipenko into the race alongside both the Longchamp Guineas winner Astronomer Royal and the star four-year-old George Washington.
Sunday week's $1million Woodbine Mile in Toronto had been an alternative target for the latter two horses but O'Brien has elected to throw his whole team at the French mile contest.
Opposition to the Ballydoyle trio will come from the Queen Anne and Sussex Stakes winner Ramonti and also the French Guineas and Prix d'Astarte winner Darjina who has skipped tomorrow's Matron Stakes in order to wait for the race closer to home.
A total of 16 horses line up for tomorrow's Betfred Sprint Cup but there will be no Irish opposition to Sakhee's Secret after Kevin Prendergast's decision not to run his Moyglare winner Miss Beatrix. "She's fine in herself. We just thought the race at Haydock looked a bit hot. I haven't spoken to the owner yet but we will make a decision where she goes next in the next 10 days," Prendergast said yesterday.
Ruby Walsh looks like the man to follow at Kilbeggan today where he can kick the meeting off with a double in the first two races.
Carraig Na Gcapall may not be completely in love with very fast ground for the mares hurdle but her form is good enough to make opposing her hat-trick chance impossible.
Newlands North returned to action with good second to Khatiman over a mile and a half at Roscommon on Monday and a win in the opener can be the first leg of a Ruby Walsh-Michael O'Brien double as Right Combination looks to hold major claims in the second maiden hurdle.
BETTING: Irish Champion Stakes: Paddy Power: 8-11 Dylan Thomas, 5 Red Rocks, 7 Duke Of Marmalade and Finsceal Beo, 8 Maraahel, 66 Red Rock Canyon.
