Champ can land knockout blow to his rivals

Istabraq has been beaten only five times in his 27 starts over hurdles and it's unlikely that his winning average is going to take a turn for the worst after today.

The triple champion hurdler has almost two stone in hand of Liss A Paoraigh on official ratings and the vibes emerging from Ballydoyle about his fitness are all encouraging.

"He is very well and it's so far, so good," Aidan O'Brien reported yesterday ahead of the December Festival Hurdle.

It might be illogical to invent a hoodoo about a piece of timber but it remains a fact that the last flight claimed Istabraq twice last season and the main concern for the champ today could be to ease those jumping worries rather than any opposition.

O'Brien has been thorough in schooling Istabraq over a number of flights here earlier in the month and the horse's overall record at Leopardstown is clear evidence that he thrives in the place.

If Istabraq is the main course on today's card, there is no doubt about the dessert being the four-runner End Of Year Flat Race.

The Cheltenham Festival Bumper joint-favourite Beechcourt puts his credentials on the line against a trio of winners and this will be a much more realistic test of his Cheltenham claims than at Fairyhouse earlier this month.

There was no denying the class shown by the Michael O'Brien-trained runner as he quickened in an instant and the 12 lengths back to Executive Ben was no indication of superiority.

If he does something similar to Kickham and co then Alexander Milenium will face a real job to hold on to his prominence in the ante-post market for the festival.

Florida Pearl, the three-time Hennessy Gold Cup winner who picked up the King George at Kempton on St Stephen's Day, will parade in front of the stands before the fourth race today. His owner Archie O'Leary can have a winner before that as Be My Royal makes his chasing debut in the opener, the Farming Independent Chase.

The trip will be less than ideal for this staying type who proved himself to be one of the best novice hurdlers in the country last season with a runner-up placing to Colonel Braxton at Fairyhouse.

Co Carlow-based Pat Hughes has been relatively quiet through the festival period but can make his presence felt with a double through Rule Supreme and Pollster.

Pollster was a winner at Cork in July and should benefit from a run at Clonmel while Rule Supreme is due a victory having been runner-up to One Night Out last time.

Brownie Returns was a winner at Thurles last time out and can continue Mouse Morris's run of form in the handicap chase. Murolook may be the danger if reproducing his recent hurdles form over the bigger obstacles.

Sir Onside was runner-up to Touch Supreme in a Cork hurdle and could successfully revert to the flat in the first bumper.