Racing Round-Up:The top mare Asian Maze has received the green light to run in Sunday's AIG Europe Champion Hurdle after her trainer, Tom Mullins, walked the Leopardstown course yesterday.

Mullins had previously expressed his reluctance to run Asian Maze on testing ground but he was impressed enough with what he found at the Dublin track yesterday to all but commit her to a clash with Brave Inca in the weekend feature.

"I would describe it as being on the nice side of soft. I was pleased with what I found," he said.

"If she scopes fine in the morning she will probably run. Ruby (Walsh) will ride."

With Asian Maze's participation the race is shaping up into one of the most hotly-contested heats of the season, with last year's first two, Brave Inca and Macs Joy, dual champion hurdler Hardy Eustace, and new kids on the block Hide The Evidence and Lounaos set to take part.

Noel Meade is also now likely to run both Iktitaf and Jazz Messenger.

A decision on whether the leading four-year-old Lounaos will take her chance in Sunday's big race will be left as late as possible.

"We will have to make our minds up in the morning but she is not ruled out," said her trainer, Eoin Griffin, yesterday.

It's 16 years since the last juvenile, Nordic Surprise, won Ireland's premier hurdling prize and final declarations for the race must be made today.

The champion hurdle outsider Sublimity will warm up for the festival at Navan tomorrow and his trainer, John Carr, expects a big run from last year's leading novice despite a near 300-day absence from racing.

"If he wins well, we will probably go straight to Cheltenham," Carr said. "The ground won't be a worry at Navan as he won a Listed race for me on the flat and also won the Doncaster Mile on soft ground."