A narrow defeat in last year's Red Mills Trial was a prelude to Smurfit Champion Hurdle glory for Hardy Eustace, but nothing else but a win at Gowran today will do for the title holder.

Three runs and three defeats has been this season's lot for Hardy Eustace, but he remains a 6 to 1 third favourite for Cheltenham largely on the basis that it's at this time of year he comes into his own.

That was certainly the case last year, and in 2003 he thrived sufficiently in the spring to land the SunAlliance. On that evidence, it is encouraging for Dessie Hughes that his stable star was beaten only two short heads in the AIG last month.

But defeat today would be an undoubted setback.

Hughes has already declared this race to be weaker than last year, but it does include the Galway Plate winner Ansar, who hasn't raced since an unsuccessful tilt at the Breeders' Cup in America. Also there is the former Galway Hurdle hero Say Again. But it will be a major shock if Hardy Eustace doesn't win on route to Cheltenham.

Outside of the "big three" for the Queen Mother Champion chase, Rathgar Beau is rated best of the rest at 20 to 1 for the festival feature, and Dusty Sheehy's horse should be able to repeat his triumph of last season in the Trial Chase.

Sheehy's horse bounced back to his best with a fine victory in the Kinloch Brae at Thurles last time and has a lot in hand on the ratings. Throw in how effective he is over this trip, and on this ground, and you have a worthy odds-on shot.

There will be considerable interest in the bumper, where Edward O'Grady gives a first racecourse outing to Jack Ingham. This horse is a full brother to Nick Dundee and a half-brother to Ned Kelly, so on pedigree at least he should be one to keep an eye on.

The Thomas O'Leary-trained Priests Leap looks like a horse with his best days still ahead of him, but there has been enough in his last two starts to suggest the second maiden hurdle will be within his grasp.