RACING:After months of hype and pondering, there won't be many at Cheltenham today with a clearer idea of what they have to do than Andrew McNamara when the field faces the tape before the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle. Any exceptions will probably be those who already believe Sizing Europe is the champion-elect.
Their problem will be trying to decide if a general 5 to 2 is tempting enough to go for broke. Not unnaturally, McNamara's focus will be wider, considering the 24-year-old jockey is on the verge of a career-defining victory. With that in prospect, it's comforting to see the evidence of an ice-cool big race temperament that McNamara has already shown, including around here two years ago when Newmill won the Champion Chase.
But nervous as he undoubtedly will be, McNamara's brief looks happily straight-forward. If Sizing Europe really is as good as he looked in January's AIG at Leopardstown, and maybe even still improving, then Henry De Bromhead's instructions won't take long. In fact the Waterford trainer has already outlined them.
"A good pace will be the main thing. If we get that, and it looks like we should, then it'll be a case of sitting third or fourth, get him a bit of daylight at the jumps and let him use his stride. Then we'll see," sums up the 35-year-old who trains just five miles from the heart of Waterford city.
How envious must some of Sizing Europe's opposition be of that succinct summary. Paul Carberry's task in smuggling Harchibald into a winning position will be an immense test of his immense talent. And even if he gets "Harchie" into that position, who's to say the enigmatic Noel Meade-trained runner will take advantage?
Carberry's brother Philip will hardly be wearing a carefree expression at the start either. Sublimity is the reigning champ after enjoying the perfect race last year. The talented ex-flat horse fiddled at the back while Brave Inca and Hardy Eustace burned a suicidal pace at the front. This time everyone will be wise to the Sublimity challenge.
Tom Scudamore faces a very different job on board the main English hope Osana. If, as most people expect, the David Pipe-trained horse tries to dominate from the front, then Scudamore will dictate the shape of the race.
But getting the balance right between going fast enough to make the others hurt, and keeping enough in reserve for the hill, will be a balancing act to test even Scudamore's double-Champion Hurdle winning dad Peter.
In contrast, comparative outsiders like Catch Me, Ebaziyan and Bobs Pride, who help make up a massive Irish team of nine runners, can enjoy the prospect of a sneaky attack under the radar. Catch Me, in particular, has caught the imagination of a lot of shrewd judges after a timely return to from at Gowran Park.
Edward O'Grady's horse is capable of staying further than two miles which always suits around here but even discussing Catch Me's chances means the focus keeps coming back to the favourite. McNamara after all has made no secret he believes Sizing Europe is the superior of the pair. That's hardly surprising.
Always regarded as an exceptional prospect, whose potential will theoretically be best served over fences, there was, nevertheless, something in Sizing Europe's memorable defeat of Hardy Eustace and other top-class acts in the AIG to provoke shivers at what he may ultimately become.
There was certainly enough for Dessie Hughes to finally call a halt to Hardy Eustace's glittering Champion Hurdle career.
Since then Sizing Europe's preparation has been smooth and ground conditions for day one look like they could have been phoned in by De Bromhead. Now it is McNamara's job to do the steering.
No doubt, the Limerick jockey will be feeling some envious glances from Ruby Walsh (Catch Me) and Denis O'Regan (Bobs Pride), both of whom were ahead of McNamara in the pecking order prior to the AIG only to miss out through a retainer and a suspension. What they missed out on could ultimately become clear at 3.20 this afternoon.
While they, and all the others, will all have one eye on Sizing Europe, "all" McNamara has to do is make sure everything underneath him is right. If he does that, Sizing Europe should do the rest and secure a fifth Irish victory in a row in the Champion Hurdle.
