Adrian Maguire has been booked to partner French Holly in the AIG Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown after the gelding's regular rider Andrew Thornton yesterday conceded defeat in his race to be fit for the showdown with Champion hurdler Istabraq on January 24th.

On Tuesday, Thornton, who has an infection in his left leg, broken in a fall at Fontwell last May, issued an upbeat report of his progress towards being ready to ride the Ferdy Murphy-trained Christmas Hurdle winner.

But after a further examination yesterday morning, Thornton nominated the end of February as a more realistic comeback date, leaving Maguire to come in for the ride on the eight-year-old.