SUNDAY SERVICE

NAP OF THE DAY

THE Irish Champion Hurdle is a brilliant race and one where HONEYSUCKLE (3.10) can silence the doubters and win the race for a fourth time in succession, emulating Istabraq and Hurricane Fly.

She was beaten for the first time at Fairyhouse in the Hatton’s Grace but back over two miles and with that outing under her belt she can prove too good for the Willie Mullins-trained pair of State Man and Vauban.

Rachael Blackmore could make the running on the nine-year-old and it will be a stiff examination of State Man’s talents to see if he can pass the two-time Champion Hurdle winning mare.

EACH-WAY THIEF

RAMBRANLT’JAC

(2.40) is certainly not one of Willie Mullins’ superstars in action this weekend.

But he could run into a place in the Bulmers Leopardstown Chase having run a solid race in the Troytown at Navan behind The Big Dog. That race worked out quite well and it wasn’t a bad effort considering he was the stable’s third string at the time.

ONE TO WATCH

THE winner of the opening Paddy Mullins’ Mares’ Handicap

Hurdle has produced two Cheltenham Festival winners in the past three seasons and LIBERTY DANCE (1.10) can book her Festival ticket tomorrow.

Infamously the last winning ride for Davy Russell before his aborted retirement plans, she looks well treated off a mark of 129 in her first handicap and beat some smart mares at Thurles before Christmas.

ONE TO SWERVE

FORMER high-class flat horse High Definition (3.40) was good here at Christmas but very much moves up in grade tomorrow to take on Facile Vega.

His jumping wasn’t great in that win and he’s unlikely to get away with that this time around.