PUNCHESTOWN PREVIEW:THE ANTI-HARCHIBALD brigade - and they are not small in number - who believe there is never a good time to trust Noel Meade's mercurial star could get their fingers burnt in a big way at Punchestown today in the €220,000 feature.
Just seven line up for the fourth-day highlight, the ACC Bank Champion Hurdle, including the former Cheltenham hero Sublimity, but without Sizing Europe, the bright new star of the game in Ireland.
Henry De Bromhead has called time on Sizing Europe's season because of the back problems that flared up at Cheltenham, and so Punchestown punters are again faced with the old problem of whether to place their faith in Harchibald.
The brilliant but infuriating nine-year-old is having his fourth attempt at this race, having finished fourth to Hardy Eustace in 2004, second to Brave Inca in a 2005 classic and a hugely disappointing fifth to Silent Oscar last year.
Yet again questions will whirl in the matter of whether the handsome "Harchie" is a horse who doesn't try a yard once things get tough or is actually - according to Meade's strident conviction - too generous a customer who puts it all in without needing to be asked and simply has nothing left.
One thing is certain: the ground at Cheltenham this year was all against him and that run can be ignored. A similar conclusion could be drawn from Kempton at Christmas, when Meade's horses were out of form, and yet Harchibald was only just beaten by Straw Bear.
At Newcastle in November, he actually looked better than ever in landing the Fighting Fifth, and decent ground today around a speed track like this should be ideal.
Punjabi did best of all these in the Champion at Cheltenham, but it's hard to escape the conclusion that Sublimity will be Harchie's big threat. His title defence yielded an honourable fourth, and at least Sublimity comes here fresh after just two runs this season.
His best runs, however, both over jumps and on the flat, have come on ground with a cut in it, and conditions just might not be ideal. Those taking him on with Harchibald might not be able to relax too much, no matter how well he travels, but around here and on quick going their nerve may be rewarded.
Almost twice as large a field is scheduled to line up in the Grade One Land Rover Champion Novice Hurdle, including Fiveforthree, who should find the two-and-a-half-mile trip more suitable than the two he ran over on Tuesday.
Not surprisingly, after the Ballymore result at Cheltenham, this is an all-local affair, and on these very different conditions Trafford Lad could be a bet to reverse the placings with Fiveforthree.
Trafford Lad was third at Cheltenham but he should have no trouble with this ground considering he won his bumper on good to firm at Cork last November.
He has been aimed at this since Cheltenham, and his trainer, Dusty Sheehy, said yesterday: "The plan was always to come here. Two-and-a-half miles will be no problem and he's won around here before. I've always said he'll be better on good ground."
Even in these conditions the three-and-three-quarter miles of the first handicap chase will take some getting, and that should suit the stamina-laden Ballytrim, who is having his first start over fences in over a year.
Ballytrim is not without speed, having been a top bumper horse of his year, but in his last chase start he was running a fine race in the four-miler at Cheltenham last year when hampered at a crucial stage.
Willie Mullins has given him six runs over hurdles this season but, off only 9.13 today, Ballytrim looks like he should be a player.
Bantry Commons was heavily backed to win his debut at Leopardstown in February but found one too good.
He should be okay on this ground, while the same applies to Charlie Yardbird in the novice handicap chase. He's the second string of the Meade runners, but on his winning form in November Charlie Yardbird could be a touch of value.
