Leading Arkle fancy Appreciate It to remain over hurdles after untimely setback

Breathtaking Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Appreciate It will not go chasing as planned this season after an untimely setback, and is instead being geared towards a hurdling campaign.

Last seen landing the Cheltenham Festival opener by 24 lengths in March, the top-notch Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old had been disputing favouritism for the Arkle at 11-4 with stablemate Ferny Hollow.

The development may breathe new life into the Champion Hurdle picture with the division arguably lacking a standout challenger to reigning title-holder Honeysuckle.

Appreciate It is now between 6-1 and 8-1 second favourite for the Unibet Champion Hurdle behind unbeaten superstar Honeysuckle at 4-5.

Mullins said: "He will be out of training for a couple of weeks and that would mean a late start to his chasing career in terms of this season. We have decided he will instead embark on a hurdling campaign when he is ready to return."

Appreciate It: between 6-1 and 8-1 second-favourite for the Champion HurdleCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

The champion trainer has not yet nominated a target for Appreciate It's starting point this season.

Speaking as part of a Racing Post stable tour in late October, the Closutton maestro suggested that if Appreciate It could "replicate over fences what he does over hurdles at two miles, he could be awesome".

Stablemate Ferny Hollow, now the clear 2-1 favourite with most firms for Arkle success, appears set to take his place in the Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown on Sunday.

The young pretender and the champ

Given he has had a setback, news that Appreciate It will stick to hurdles this season is no surprise.

We are already at Christmas, a couple of weeks out of training takes us into the new year and, realistically, that means we're getting towards the end of January before it is even likely we will see him on the racecourse.

That doesn't leave much time with Cheltenham in mind and the best case scenario is that Willie Mullins could perhaps get two starts into him over fences – more likely one. Western Warhorse managed to win an Arkle with just one chase start to his name, but he was an outlier.

Two miles around Cheltenham at championship pace is not something you really want to be doing after just one start, especially if that solo outing came against vastly inferior opposition.

And that's if that chasing debut goes swimmingly. There are plenty of exceptional horses who took more than one start to get the hang of fences, so it makes sense – with that setback in mind – to readjust and aim for the Champion Hurdle.

Yes, Honeysuckle is as menacing an opponent as can be found at the festival but, equally, her task has not been made easier for having to take on last season's 24-length Supreme winner.

For all that Ballyadam and Blue Lord have not exactly shown that formline to be of championship calibre, it was an attention-grabbing performance and certainly marked him out as a horse capable of perhaps mixing it with the very best over hurdles.

Many have tried and failed to beat Honeysuckle, but Appreciate It is perhaps the most exciting challenger to her crown.

Let's hope there are no further setbacks and we get the sort of clash Cheltenham was made for – the young pretender taking on the reigning champion.
Analysis by Stuart Riley

Possible fields for the final two days of festive action at Leopardstown and Limerick were unveiled on Tuesday, with brilliant Betfair Chase winner A Plus Tard one of 12 still on course for the Savills Chase on December 28.

Attempting to become the first horse since Beef Or Salmon to win the €175,000 prize in back-to-back years, the Henry de Bromhead-trained seven-year-old is priced up at 8-11 with Ladbrokes to light up Leopardstown next Tuesday.

A Plus Tard (left): reeled in Kemboy and Melon in a thrilling Savills Chase last ChristmasCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Gordon Elliott has four possible challengers but holds strongest claims with Ladbrokes Champion Chase runner-up Galvin, a 5-1 chance, and 2019 Savills scorer Delta Work, available at 8-1.

Kemboy, just touched off by A Plus Tard here 12 months ago, is also an 8-1 shot, one of six in contention for Mullins. John Durkan Memorial Chase runner-up Janidil is in the mix, as well as Melon, Tornado Flyer and Franco De Port.

Asterion Forlonge and Minella Indo, both seemingly expected to make the journey to Kempton for the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase two days earlier, have been left in, while Fakir D'Oudairies is a notable absentee.

Leading Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle players Flooring Porter and Klassical Dream feature among 15 contenders for the Grade 1 Dornan Engineering Christmas Hurdle.

Flooring Porter: will bid to make it back-to-back wins in the Grade 1 Dornan Engineering Christmas HurdleCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Elliott, who has won four of the last six runnings, could be strongly represented by Sire Du Berlais, Abacadabras, Commander Of Fleet and Grand Roi.

Elsewhere, Grade 1-winnning hurdler Galopin Des Champs could make his chasing debut in the 2m5f Ballymaloe Relish Beginners Chase.

Sharjah heads the betting for the Matheson Hurdle as the Mullins-trained eight-year-old bids to win the race for a fourth year running.

Stablemate Echoes In Rain, Zanahiyr, Quilixios and Teahupoo are among ten left in after Tuesday's forfeit stage for the Grade 1 over 2m on December 29.

The other Grade 1 on the card, the Neville Hotels Novice Chase features impressive Troytown Chase winner Run Wild Fred among 16 entries. Ladbrokes Trophy fourth Ontheropes is also in contention, as well as the likes of Albert Bartlett winner Vanillier, Mr Incredible and Beacon Edge.

Top bumper performers Kilcruit, Sir Gerhard, Classic Getaway, O'Toole and Journey With Me hold entries for the 2m4f Pigsback.com Maiden Hurdle on the same day at Leopardstown.

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Upping The Ante star Gavin Lynch joins the Racing Post roster for a weekly Saturday column throughout the jumps season. He'll offer a guide to the weekend action, highlight the horses and races to watch and share his punting wisdom. Read it every Saturday in the Racing Post or online from 4pm every Friday, exclusively for Members' Club subscribers. Sign up to Members' Club here for more top jumps season insight.