Gowran line-up is Champion class

Gowran Park could end up hosting its own "mini-Champion Hurdle" on Saturday with Hardy Eustace leading a line-up of some of the brightest hurdling talent in Ireland as they continue their build-up to Cheltenham.

Hardy Eustace was reported in "great nick" by his trainer Dessie Hughes yesterday but the AIG winner will have to be near the top of his game again to cope with his likely opposition in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle.

A total of 10 entries were left in the Grade Two contest yesterday including last year's winner, Macs Joy, the top mare Asian Maze, as well as the Noel Meade-trained duo of Harchibald and Jazz Messenger.

For good measure, the champion chaser Newmill is another possible contender although his Cork trainer, John Murphy, has also left him in the Trial Chase on the same card.

"If he runs, I would prefer it to be in the hurdle. It might be the kinder option after his fall the last day," said Murphy. "He's 100 per cent fine but he's only a possible to run at Gowran. The ground would be important."

The going on the hurdles track was reported to be "soft" and heavy in places at Gowran yesterday and little change is expected before Saturday's feature which could turn into a Grade One in all but name.

Hardy Eustace has used the Gowran race as a festival warm-up in the past and Dessie Hughes said: "He is in great nick and he will definitely run - once they do what they did last year and run it as the first hurdle race on the card."

Macs Joy beat Asian Maze in the 2006 Trial before finishing runner-up to Brave Inca at Cheltenham and is on track for a possible repeat. "He seems fine and he will go to the Curragh for a spin tomorrow," said Jessica Harrington yesterday.

Local trainer Tom Mullins is also keen to let Asian Maze take her chance and will be keeping a close eye on ground conditions during the week. "Only if it is atrocious will she not run. I suppose it will be something like soft to heavy but I am keen to get a run into her before Cheltenham," said Mullins who is not concerned at the quality of the likely opposition. "What I want is to get a prep' in to her. I don't care if Detroit City comes over!"

Newmill may not be the only high-profile absentee from the two-and-a-half-mile Trial Chase as Central House is set to run in the valuable Ascot Chase on the same day.

Other Red Mills Chase entries include last year's Champion Chase runner-up, Fota Island, as well as Mansony, who, like Newmill, holds an entry in the big hurdle as well.

Hughes also reported yesterday that his star novice, Schindlers Hunt, is likely to run at Naas later in the month after which a final decision on whether or not he runs in the SunAlliance Chase will be made. Schindlers Hunt, a double Grade One winner at two miles this season, was left out of the Arkle Chase entries due to a clerical error.

While much of his opposition will be battling it out in the Gowran mud, the current Champion Hurdler, Brave Inca, will continue his build-up to a title defence at Colm Murphy's Co Wexford yard.

"He seems very well. We've stepped him up again and he's doing some nice canters," said Murphy yesterday after also unfortunately having to report the retirement of his other stable star, Feathard Lady. The unbeaten Grade One-winning mare has not been seen since winning the 2005 Christmas Hurdle at Sandown and a series of leg injuries means that time has been called on her racing career.

"We never really knew how good she was. Every time we stepped her up she answered the call.

"She seemed to be very good and everyone who rode her said she was," Murphy added. "It's a blow to everyone in the yard and to the owners. But she has been plagued with injuries and there has been a recurrence of the ligament problems."

Pat Hughes reported that the County Hurdle could be an option for Saturday's Leopardstown winner Farmer Brown who has emerged from his weekend efforts in good shape.

"It's funny he couldn't win a maiden hurdle but he went and won a handicap on his first go," said Hughes.

"He could run in the County but we will see how he goes."

Noel Meade has stressed that no final decision has been taken on which of the Cheltenham hurdles his star novice Aran Concerto will run in.

"I had a brief word with Paul (Carberry) after he won on Saturday and he said he wasn't sure which race would suit Aran Concerto," the champion trainer said.

"I've favoured the longer race all along but if we got soft ground it would make the Supreme a realistic option."