Champion Hurdle hope Impaire Et Passe features in Hatton's Grace confirmations - who else could run at Fairyhouse this weekend?
![Impaire Et Passe: last season's excellent novice hurdler is set to return on Sunday](/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fs3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com%2Fprod-media-racingpost%2Fprod%2Fimages%2F169_1008%2Fa2a6296b77a9-impaire-et-passe.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
Impaire Et Passe and Teahupoo have been kept in contention for Sunday's Bar One Racing Hatton's Grace Hurdle after entries and confirmations were revealed for Fairyhouse's two-day Winter festival.
The Hatton's Grace is the feature of a stellar Sunday card containing three Grade 1s, with last season's winner Teahupoo on course to try to defend his crown against a maximum of six runners.
His biggest danger looks set to be Impaire Et Passe, the Willie Mullins-trained five-year-old who swept to four consecutive wins as a novice hurdler last season, capped by Grade 1 victories in the Ballymore at the Cheltenham Festival and at Punchestown.
Owned by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, Impaire Et Passe is second favourite with most bookmakers for March's Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival behind defending champion Constitution Hill, who is set to make his reappearance on Saturday in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle. Impaire Et Passe is a top-priced 13-2 with bet365 for the Champion Hurdle but as short as 4-1 elsewhere.
Mullins could also be represented in the Hatton's Grace by Ashroe Diamond, while the Gordon Elliott-trained Teahupoo could be joined by stablemates Beacon Edge, Irish Point and Zanahiyr.
Buddy One, who ran out an impressive winner of a handicap on Paddy Power Gold Cup day at Cheltenham this month, is the other runner in contention for Paul Gilligan.
![Honeysuckle on her way to losing her unbeaten record against Teahupoo in the Hatton's Grace](/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fs3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com%2Fprod-media-racingpost%2Fprod%2Fimages%2F169_1008%2F4ab9294e6fb2-120376.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
The Royal Bond Novice Hurdle is the first Grade 1 on Sunday and nine remain in contention, including Encanto Bruno, What's Up Darling and Slade Steel.
Last season's Irish Grand National winner I Am Maximus could make his return to action in the Drinmore Novice Chase, but he is unlikely to have it all his own way with Elliott keeping American Mike, Favori De Champdou and Found A Fifty in contention.
Letsbeclearaboutit, who won a Grade 3 at Cork last time for Gavin Cromwell, his stablemate Perceval Legallois and ten-year-old Sharjah could also compete.
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