Istabraq remains a solid odds-on chance to complete a hat-trick of victories in the Smurfit Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March following his return to winning ways in the AIB Agri-Business Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown yesterday.
Aidan O'Brien's prolific scorer, whose winning sequence was dented by rising star Limestone Lad at Fairyhouse last month, tracked front-running Derrymoyle for most of the journey. Then Charlie Swan sent the seven-year-old to the front after the penultimate flight to win the final day feature for the third consecutive year.
Knife Edge went in pursuit of the leader in the hands of Tom Rudd and was in the process of enhancing his Ladbroke Hurdle credentials when he blundered and sprawled over the final flight, with his rider performing a minor miracle to keep the partnership intact. O'Brien was bullish about Istabraq, who was left unchanged at 4 to 6 with the majority of the layers to retain his Champion Hurdle crown. "I have to be happy with him. He loves to be competitive and he's gone very professional these days. He actually was a little heavier today than when he got beaten by Limestone Lad.
"The plan is to come back here for the Irish Champion Hurdle and then Cheltenham. It would be great for everybody if Limestone Lad lines up again against our fellow," O'Brien concluded.
"We went a good pace, with Derrymoyle taking us along nicely. Istabraq was much sharper today and very accurate in the air," was Swan's assessment of the race.
Knife Edge came home in his own time to eventually finish fifth. His trainer, Michael O'Brien, afterwards reported: "We won't know if he's all right for a few days but if we don't make the Ladbroke he'll come back her for the AIG. It's a pity, as he was working very well." Knife Edge is 7 to 1 favourite for next month's Ladbroke. The news that Theatreworld is likely to carry top weight in the race resulting in a rise of 12lb all round, prompted the sponsor's representative Mike Dillon to promote Afarad, who carries the Istabraq colours of JP McManus, to 8 to 1 second favourite, with likely British challenger Geos on 10 to 1.
Paul Moloney was dealt a bitter blow after filling the runner-up berth aboard Camden Venture in the Agri-Aware Maiden Hurdle. Victory her went to the Willie Mullins-trained Khal Dante, who stayed on well out in front in the straight for Jason Titley to land the spoils by a diminishing length and a half. Moloney, however, will miss Ladbroke day after picking up a one-day ban for using his whip with excessive frequency on the runner-up.
Karl Wyse edged two clear at the head of the amateur riders' championship when he scored on the long-absent Have At It for Pat Hughes in the first of the bumpers. One Fine Day and John Cullen turned the winners' bumper into a procession when making all the running for a 13-length victory over Saddlers' Mark.
