It is not available to viewers of ITV4 but the Irish Champion Hurdle is undoubtedly the big race of the day, with the betting market evidently expecting Honeysuckle to reveal herself as a star. Henry de Bromhead’s mare remains unbeaten but new questions are asked by this step back in trip on drying ground at a track she has never visited.
At 2-1 or thereabouts, Sharjah (3.10) is surely the way to go. But for a fall as a novice, he would have won Grade Ones at Leopardstown for the last three Christmases and he should be hard to beat in these conditions. Aramon ran Klassical Dream to a head here a year ago and makes each-way appeal.
Lingfield 12.35 Ayr Harbour 1.10 Swiss Pride 1.45 Habub 2.20 Utopian Lad 2.55 Court House 3.30 Finespun 4.05 King Athelstan
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