Istabraq has been made as low as 1 to 2 favourite to repeat his AIG Irish Champion Hurdle success against seven possible rivals next Sunday.
Last season's dual-Champion Hurdle winner is set to be a red hot favourite despite trainer Aidan O'Brien saying that he is short of absolute peak fitness.
O'Brien said yesterday: "Everything is ticking over nicely with Istabraq but he will improve a good bit between Leopardstown and Cheltenham. Ideally I would probably like to have done a bit more with him, especially with French Holly coming over, but the wet weather has not helped."
O'Brien will also run Theatreworld, although a rider has not yet been decided for him. "He almost severed a tendon when he fell in the Ebor but I was very happy with the way he ran in his comeback race at Leopardstown," he said.
French Holly has been made a best-priced 5 to 2 to upset Istabraq and will be ridden by Adrian Maguire, successful in this race on Fortune And Fame in 1994. Paddy Powers bet 12 to 1 that French Holly will win on Sunday and also the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham but go just 6 to 4 Istabraq on the double.
Just eight were left in the £50,000 contest at yesterday's forfeit stage, with the David Nicholson-trained Zafarabad set to join French Holly in the English raiding party.
"Zafarabad definitely runs and Richard Johnson will ride," said Nicholson yesterday.
Of the other four, Nomadic and Commanche Court are not certain runners and Cashmans bookmakers in Cork take the view that neither will run. Paddy Powers quote both horses "with a run".
However, Shane Donohoe has decided to let Shantarini, runner-up to Istabraq at Christmas, take his chance. He said: "While we had the Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton as his target, we will let him take his chance of some of the prizemoney at Leopardstown."
Paddy Power: 8-15 Istabraq, 5-2 French Holly, 10-1 Theatreworld, 12-1 Zafarabad, 50-1 Black Queen, 66-1 Shantarini, 8-1 Nomadic (with a run), 10-1 Commanche Court (with a run).
Cashmans: 1-2 Istabraq, 9-4 French Holly, 16-1 Zafarabad, 221 Theatreworld, 66-1 Black Queen.
His Song will take his chance in the Arkle Chase at Leopardstown on Sunday, although who will ride him has yet to be decided. "He picked up a cut in his last race and had to have a few stitches but he is in good form and I'm very happy with him," said trainer Mouse Morris yesterday.
Fresh ground will be used at Leopardstown, and although the ground will be heavy, the racing manager Tom Burke described it as "heavy but raceable".
