Molly set for festival return in the Brit

Last season's Champion Bumper winner Hairy Molly is set to try to win at the Cheltenham Festival for the second year running in the three-mile Brit Insurances Novices' Hurdle.

The Joe Crowley-trained star also holds an entry in the Grade One Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle, but Hairy Molly is almost certain to avoid a clash with Aran Concerto and co in favour of a run in the longer race.

"It does look more than likely that he will run in the three-miler," confirmed his veteran trainer Crowley yesterday. "The horse is very well, and although I'd say he would run well on any track, it's a fact he won there last year and obviously likes the place."

Hairy Molly was a shock 33 to 1 winner of last year's bumper when ridden to a head victory by Paul Carberry. However, Barry Geraghty has been in charge on both of Hairy Molly's starts over hurdles this season, the last of which saw the partnership justify odds-on favouritism at Navan.

Geraghty, though, has also been the regular rider of the prolific winner Kazal, who also has the Brit as his target on day four of the festival.

"Barry has won four on Eoin Griffin's horse, so I don't know what will happen if that horse runs as well. I'm sure Barry will want to keep his options open but I don't have anyone in mind at the moment to replace him if he can't ride our horse," Crowley said.

Kazal and Hairy Molly are best-priced 12 to 1 shots for the Brit, and although the former likes very soft ground, Crowley would like an improvement in going conditions from the current "soft" at Prestbury Park.

"It usually dries up there around this time of year so we wouldn't mind if the same thing happened again," said Crowley, whose festival team is likely to consist solely of Hairy Molly.

Wichita Lineman is the hot ante-post Brit favourite for the Jonjo O'Neill-Tony McCoy team, who were successful in the race last year with Black Jack Ketchum.

Colm Murphy is waiting on a call from McCoy before deciding on final jockey arrangements for Brave Inca in Tuesday week's Kappa Smurfit Champion Hurdle.

With McCoy's boss, JP McManus, set to run Straw Bear in the race, there continues to be uncertainty as to who will ride the Champion Hurdler, who will work after racing at Leopardstown on Sunday.

That uncertainty has resulted in a possible return to action by the former nine-time champion Charlie Swan being proposed, although, in betting on who will end up on Brave Inca's back on the big day, Ruby Walsh is still favourite.

Walsh's chances appeared to increase yesterday with Paul Nicholls, who trains another possible Champion Hurdle hope Desert Quest, reportedly saying that the County Hurdle is a more likely option for his horse.

Murphy, however, stressed yesterday: "I'm waiting on AP to tell me something before deciding. But the horse goes to Leopardstown on Sunday. He won't do much. He's almost there anyway and it's more a case of getting away with him for a day."

Confidence that the Irish team for Cheltenham 2007 will equal last year's record festival tally of 10 winners seems to be sliding, with a victory tally at the lower end of the scale attracting most support in ante-post betting.

With concerns about the going for the defending Cheltenham Gold Cup champion War Of Attrition, there has been continued support for the Tom Taaffe-trained outsider Cane Brake, winner of the Troytown and the Paddy Power Chase on soft ground, who is now 33 to 1 from 40 to 1.