The connections of some of the top hurdling talent around will be anxiously awaiting what impact the current bad weather will have on Sunday's AIG Europe Champion Hurdle and none more so than JP McManus whose Straw Bear could yet provide the leading owner with a remarkable seventh victory in the race.

Straw Bear was denied a run when Saturday's Haydock meeting was cancelled and the Nick Gifford-trained star now has a choice of three races in which to prep for the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.

"There's a race at Sandown, the race he won at Wincanton last year (Kingwell Hurdle) and the AIG. Those are his three options," said McManus's racing manager Frank Berry yesterday.

"He stayed at Haydock overnight so we will see how he is at home tomorrow before making any firm plans."

Straw Bear is currently a 4 to 1 shot in ante-post betting for the AIG but no British-trained horse has won the Leopardstown feature since Collier Bay in 1996 and if the high-class chestnut doesn't travel this weekend it will again be an all-home affair.

"I think Nick would nearly favour staying at home but it will be a few days before we know," Berry added.

"The one thing we don't know is what the weather will bring. It could be bottomless which wouldn't suit anyone."

McManus scored a memorable AIG four in a row with Istabraq (1998-2001) before also winning with Like-A-Butterfly (2003) and Foreman (2004.)

Very testing conditions could also rule out the current Champion Hurdler Sublimity as his trainer John Carr has already stated he is willing to miss the AIG if the ground comes up as heavy as it was for the Pierse Hurdle card eight days ago.

There is some encouragement, however, in Met Eireann's long-range forecast. Very wet weather is expected to continue until Wednesday but it is then expected to remain largely dry over the weekend.

A total of 14 entries currently remain in the AIG ahead of tomorrow's important forfeit stage with Sizing Europe rated a 3 to 1 favourite with Paddy Power.

Another likely runner is the mare Lounaos, fourth as a juvenile last year, who faces another clash with the 2007 winner Hardy Eustace.

"She will probably go there as a rank outsider but she is in good form and is entitled to take her chance," said Lounaos's trainer Eoin Griffin.

"She appreciates soft ground but maybe she doesn't like it too heavy. Obviously the weather at present isn't good so we will have to wait and see."

This week's racing is due to begin on Wednesday with Fairyhouse's re-scheduled card although the Co Meath track's chances of racing were yesterday described as being no more than "50-50."

Manager Caroline Grey reported: "We had plenty of rain on Saturday and what we're hoping for is a dry spell of a day or a day and a half. I would say there's no change overall and it's still 50-50 about going ahead."

The 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Kicking King remains on course to have his first start in over two years in the Grade Two Normans Grove Chase although trainer Tom Taaffe could take his star out if the going is too gluey at Fairyhouse.

And Taaffe is keeping his fingers crossed that his return goes according to plan. "He's progressed well and he's ready for a run," said Taaffe.

"The meeting being called off put everybody back a bit but it is more of a problem for me as I have to plan for this and then I have two options after that.

"If Wednesday is off I suppose the next chance of a competitive race would be in the Tied Cottage at Punchestown on February 3rd.

"Then I could probably go on to Gowran on February 16th (Red Mills), I'd like to get two runs into him if I can".

Gowran stages its big fixture of the year on Thursday with the Paddy Power Chase winner Newbay Prop installed as favourite to follow up in the Ellen Construction Thyestes Chase despite a 10lb hike in the ratings.

Newbay Prop will attempt to follow in the footsteps of his stable companion Dun Doire who won in 2006 and could end up facing last year's winner Homer Wells who is among the 31 entries left in the prestigious staying event.

Trainer Pat Hughes has indicated he is likely to run his Irish Grand National and Leopardstown Chase winner Point Barrow who is set to carry topweight.

BETTING: (Paddy Power): 3 Sizing Europe, 7-2 Sublimity, 4 Al Eile, Harchibald and Straw Bear, 8 Hardy Eustace, 10 Aitmatov and Jazz Messenger, 12 Lounaos, 20 Bar.

Tony McCoy stresses he will not rush his recovery after undergoing a successful operation to repair damage sustained to his T12 vertebra, following a crashing fall at Warwick just over a week ago.

However, after the 12-times champion jockey walked out of the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford on Saturday, he admits he hopes to be fighting fit before the Cheltenham Festival.

McCoy said: "It was obviously not a normal injury and I'm going to have to do all the right things and take notice of what the specialists tell me, as my back is the engine room to my whole body and there will be no returning until things are 100 per cent.

"It was one of those falls that didn't seem bad but I landed awkwardly and was struggling to get up and down, so I guessed at the time I had not taken the normal kick you can get when this sort of thing happens," he said.

"Also, I was finding my breathing was not right, but the doctors and paramedics at Warwick were first-class and I cannot thank them enough for everything they did, though I was never in that much pain.

"Even after the operation I was not on painkillers, so I guess that might be a good omen for me making a quick and full recovery and the first week of March or something like that could see me back riding."