Solwhit odds-on to secure third Grade One victory

SOLWHIT HAS been installed an odds-on favourite in some ante-post lists to secure a third Grade One triumph this season in Sunday’s Toshiba Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Already successful this term in the Morgiana at Punchestown, and in the Festival Hurdle over Christmas, Charles Byrnes’ star is a general market leader across the boards for this weekend’s €110,000 feature.

A dozen entries were left in the big race at yesterday’s forfeit stage and although the reigning champion hurdler Punjabi is expected to take up an alternative engagement at Haydock on Saturday, there will be major cross-channel interest in the Paul Nicholls trained Celestial Halo.

The Nicholls team are also set to run Take The Breeze in Sunday’s other Grade One prize, the Frank Ward Solicitors Arkle, in which he will meet the Colm Murphy-trained Zaarito.

Racing at Punchestown today is dependent on a 7.30am inspection due to a bad weather forecast overnight but the five-runner Juvenile Hurdle could give the Solwhit team a valuable boost with the well-bred Pittoni attempting to add to his course and distance success on New Years Eve, Browns Baily can take the beginners chase.