Racing: Collier Bay a soft option at the weights

There is a good chance we will see the future Champion Hurdle winner this weekend. Collier Bay and Relkeel continue their fitness programming for the Festival at Haydock, while Istabraq attempts a ninth successive victory in tomorrow's AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Istabraq may be favourite for hurdling's Blue Riband but the portents are not with him. No winner of the Royal SunAlliance Hurdle has gone on to success in the seniors' championship.

Yet if popular support counts for anything the six-year-old is already on the throne with his crown at a jaunty angle. Istabraq was popular enough last March, when he landed odds of 6-5 at the Festival to reward his tired and emotional supporters. There will be tears again tomorrow afternoon if, as the form book insists he must, he wins again.

The Flat-bred horse was originally bought for JP McManus by John Durkan, who was to have trained the purchase. The fates, however, had something else in mind for Durkan. His death this week from leukaemia makes tomorrow's a particularly poignant event. Cockney Lad and Theatreworld are good horses in their own right, but Istabraq should carry on the flame.

Haydock's Champion Hurdle Trial is virtually indistinguishable from Parkinson, as some old, forgotten figures are invited back on centre stage. Dato Star has been off for over a year, while Indefence, the 1996 Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner, is closing in on a two-year absence.

The finish, though, should concern two horses who fought out the Bula Hurdle at Cheltenham last month. Relkeel won that day, but the revised weights suggest it is the turn of Collier Bay (1.15) now, especially as he has the soft ground so imperative for him. The 1996 Champion has been working well and his stable is in good form.

The Long Distance Hurdle also has the appearance of a Festival semi-final. Everyone seems to think Paddy's Return (2.15) is home, hosed and changed for the Stayers' following his win in Ascot's Long Walk Hurdle, but Ocean Hawk, who won this race 12 months ago, and Mighty Moss, will make sure he does not flounce around.

Martin Pipe has representatives in both the day's big races and his runner in the Peter Marsh Chase at Newton-le-Willows is Eudipe. Spectators should not be surprised if a Pipe horse emerges with spectacular new gear in the near future. The research and development unit at Pond House were doubtless fascinated by the Speed Mask unveiled at the World Swimming Championships this week as they too have innovations in mind.

"Martin is always looking at ways to improve, any way to get another winner," Chester Barnes, the trainer's assistant, said. "At the moment he's looking at new designs to streamline a jockey's helmet and a way of making saddles so the wind doesn't get under them."

The wind will be getting up Pipe's opponents at Haydock today, when Simply Dashing is among the rivals. Tim Easterby's gelding is good, but he is unproven at this trip and also in the ground. Two out of three is too bad in this company.

Earth Summit marks quite easily, as does his jockey, Tom Jenks, judging by his wounding of another horse at Huntingdon on Wednesday. The partnership has place prospects. The winner though should be EUDIPE (nap 1.45), who was third in the Hennessy Gold Cup last November as a five-year-old. He must be improving.

At Kempton, Pipe saddles Doctoor in the feature race, the Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle. The ones to consider here however are Nahrawali (next best 3.10)and Alabang, who has his first run for Julie Camacho, since she took over the licence from her retired father, Maurice. They were second and third respectively in the Sandown handicap hurdle won by Major Jamie and the three directly behind have all won since.

Two others with more lenient challenges than they have faced recently are Kadastrof (2.35) and Monks Soham (3.40).

- Richard Edmondson