Racing Post Arkle on the agenda for Champion Hurdle third Darver Star

Incredible improver Darver Star cemented his place at the top table of two-mile hurdling with an excellent third in the Unibet Champion Hurdle earlier this month and connections are hoping their star performer can develop into a Racing Post Arkle contender next season.

The Gavin Cromwell-trained eight-year-old remarkably progressed from 104-rated maiden to top-notch campaigner over the course of five wins in his last nine starts, now holding a mark of 159.

Chasing has long been thought as the SSP Number Twentytwo Syndicate-owned performer's natural calling but part-owner and breeder Pat Cluskey says none of the three-man syndicate will be forgetting his latest outing over hurdles any time soon.

"It was very emotional and the highlight of the day was nearly the walk back into the third place spot of the winner's enclosure," explained Cluskey.

Epatante: an impressive winner of the Unibet Champion Hurdle over Sharjah and Darver StarCredit: Edward Whitaker

"I looked around for Epatante because I thought she was after coming back – I thought the ovation was for her and not us. It was incredible, I had tears in my eyes."

He added: "You'd have to be very proud about how he ran. There was no way we could have beaten the winner giving her 7lb but the way our lad battled on to keep his position was fantastic.

"Thankfully, he came out of the race in top class form."

The Irish Champion Hurdle runner-up is priced between 20-1 and 33-1 for next year's Racing Post Arkle and Cluskey says that will likely be their pride and joy's long-term aim.

"I'd say that'll be where we're aiming for," he said. "We always thought he was going to be a chaser and even when he won for the first time at Wexford, Gavin said he'd be chasing sooner rather than later."

Pat Cluskey, Simon Fagan and Sean Fanning of the SSP Number Twentytwo SyndicateCredit: Patrick McCann

He added: "As one local journalist wrote after the Champion Hurdle, the horse's run at Cheltenham gave the county a boost when we needed it most.

"It's just amazing how local people got in behind him and I honestly believe that if Horse Racing Ireland want to get more people involved in racing, getting communities to feel like they're a part of a horse's journey is the way to go.

"Maybe it was because we're in a rural area or that he wore the Louth county colours or that he was named after our parish, but the Champion Hurdle build-up got local people who wouldn't know one end of a horse for the other excited."

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