Sport News 24/7De Valira in the front line
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02 February 2007 /
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Irish-trained De Valira, who has been eclipsed as favourite for the Surpreme Novices' Hurdle at the Festival by Nicky Henderson's mare Amaretto Rose, completes his preparation for Cheltenham in the Byrne Group Plc Novice Hurdle at Punchestown on Sunday.
De Valira has won both of his starts over hurdles and showed gritty battling qualities when holding off the hot favourite Catch Me in a Grade 2 event at Leopardstown over Christmas.
Sunday's race will be no walkover for De Valira though as he is taken on by fellow Supreme entry Perce Rock, who provides a good line to the form of the British novices having finished a four-length second to the Paul Nicholls-trained Silverburn on his latest start in the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown.
Amaretto Rose currently heads the Betfair ante-post market for the Supreme on 6.8, with De Valira available at 8.2. Perce Rock, who has traded as low as 13 in the Festival opener, can now be backed at 18.5.
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