3.30 BHP INSURANCE IRISH CHAMPION HURDLE (GRADE 1) 2M

Faugheen: Outstanding 2015 Champion Hurdle winner who began last season with a shock defeat at Punchestown but won his next two starts, which featured arguably his most impressive performance to date in this race last year. Injury has kept him sidelined since then but despite his year long absence this outstanding talent must take all the beating on his return.

Nichols Canyon: High-class hurdler who already has seven Grade 1 wins to his name – including a defeat of Faugheen last season - alongside placed efforts at the last two Cheltenham Festivals. However, he couldn’t match Petit Mouchoir here last month and now needs to return to his very best to play a leading role.

Petit Mouchoir: Developed into a quality novice last season and looks better still this term. May well have won the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle but for falling three out and then trounced Nichols Canyon by 7l here last month. This race demands even more but he appeals as the likeliest danger to Faugheen.

Footpad: Emerged as a leading juvenile hurdler last year when he won a Grade 1 at this track and was placed in the Triumph before going on to strike at the highest level in France. Returned to action with a Grade 1 placing in France in November but struggled behind Petit Mouchoir next time and must improve markedly from that to play a part here.

Ivanovich Gorbatov: Won last season’s Triumph but has found things tougher since then. He has improved steadily with each run this season and didn’t run at all badly to take third behind Petit Mouchoir last time, but even with further progress he still has plenty to find with several of these.

VERDICT

Faugheen’s year-long absence comes to an end in a race in which he produced nothing short of a wondrous display 12 months ago. Despite his enforced absence, the 2015 Champion Hurdle victor should still take all the beating. He should be given most to do by Petit Mouchoir, whose last effort marked him out as a coming force amongst the top two-mile hurdlers.