Cheltenham preview:Sublimity returns to the scene of his greatest triumph with connections hoping class will overcome rustiness when the champion hurdler gets back to action in today's Boylesports International at Cheltenham.
The John Carr-trained star will line up against six opponents in the £200,000 feature, all but one of whom have had the cobwebs blown off with a run already this season.
Only Sublimity and his old rival Straw Bear are making their seasonal debuts and they face no easy task against the Triumph Hurdle winner Katchit, Jessica Harrington's Macs Joy and Afsoun who was third in that memorable Champion Hurdle last March.
Despite a number of Listed race wins on the flat for both Carr and his former trainer Michael Stoute, Sublimity emerged from comparative obscurity to dethrone Brave Inca that day and plunge both jockey Philip Carberry and Carr himself into the limelight. Now the task is to plan a repeat.
"He's not fully wound up but he is fit enough to do himself justice," Carr said. "And he's got so much class that if he's in the right frame of mind it could overcome his being short of fitness."
One thing is certain and that's Sublimity's ability to act around Cheltenham, although it will be interesting to see if he gets the good early pace on which he appears to thrive.
A good tempo will also help the sole Irish challenger, Knight Legend, in the £150,000 Boylesports Gold Cup in which New Little Bric will attempt to continue the recent red-hot streak of the Paul Nicholls-Sam Thomas team.
The Willie Mullins-Davy Condon combination looks the one to follow at today's home fixture at Fairyhouse where Snowy Morning has just the third start of his career over hurdles.
Two runs over the smaller obstacles in the summer of 2006 yielded a Punchestown win which didn't indicate the heights that Snowy Morning would achieve over fences.
Getting over the larger obstacles did, however, prove a problem earlier this month when Snowy Morning was a well backed Hennessy favourite only to crash out before half way. Today's two-and-a-quarter-mile conditions race looks an ideal confidence-restorer.
Dani California failed by only a head to get her jumping career off to a winning start at Navan but looks to have an ideal opportunity in the opener while Arbor Supreme showed enough on his fencing debut to go close in the second division of the beginners chase.
Kazal was thrown in at the deep end on his own chasing debut when exiting three out in the Drinmore. An extra half mile should be perfect for Davy Russell's mount in the first division.
