Tom Mullins is confident that a change of tactics will help re-establish Asian Maze's credentials as a leading Smurfit Champion Hurdle candidate if she again takes on Hardy Eustace in the Red Mills Trial at Gowran Park later this month.
The four-time Grade One winner returned to action in last weekend's AIG Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown where she finished fifth behind Hardy Eustace after becoming detached from the rest of the field at half-way.
That provoked speculation about a possible switch for Asian Maze to the Ladbrokes World Hurdle over three miles at Cheltenham for which she is currently as low as 8 to 1 in ante-post betting.
In contrast the mare is a widely available 25 to 1 for the Champion but Mullins was adamant yesterday that the two-mile feature remains the target for his stable star.
"At the end of the AIG, she actually ran on very well and she has come out of the race in great shape.
"But half way down the back I must admit I was concerned," added Mullins
"I was hoping against hope she would pick it up but it was only when Ruby (Walsh) got serious with her after the last that she really ran on," he said.
"I think it was because she hadn't been ridden that way in a very long time.
"Being popped in at the back like that probably came as a shock to her.
"But the good thing is that she was flying at the line and if everything is alright, I would like to run her in the Red Mills," Mullins added.
Asian Maze was runner-up to Macs Joy in the Gowran Trial last year and could face that star again, along with Hardy Eustace whose connections have already confirmed him an intended Red Mills starter.
"It wouldn't bother me if Hardy Eustace ran, nor Macs Joy either," Mullins said.
"If she does run at Gowran, I think we will pop her out again and be up with the pace. I'd be confident enough that if we do that she will run a big race. It will certainly give us a good bearing about what we will do with her afterwards."
Another Irish-trained Champion Hurdle outsider is Sublimity, a best priced 66 to 1 shot, who was yesterday confirmed an intended runner in the race by his trainer John Carr.
Sublimity returned from a nine-month absence to win a small race at Navan last weekend by 20 lengths and Carr is confident that his double-Listed winner on the flat will run a lot better than his fancy odds suggest.
"He's come out of Navan without a bother. We were thrilled with him as you're always thinking the worst, if he will fall at the last or something, but he had to win that way really.
"I don't care what anyone says, I think he is going to run a big race in the Champion," he said.
"I said it last year before the Supreme (an unlucky fourth to Noland) and people were laughing at me but if we get him to Cheltenham in the same frame of mind he was in on Saturday, he'll be thereabouts.
"I've told people to back him each-way. We were hard done by last year finishing fourth so I just hope he can get that bit closer," Carr added.
Leopardstown's next major meeting will be the Hennessy Gold Cup card on Saturday week and one man hoping for wet weather before that is the Dorest trainer Robert Alner whose Leopardstown Lexus Chase winner, The Listener, is an intended Hennessy runner.
"The ferry is booked and the hotel is booked!" Alner said yesterday but he is hoping for testing ground conditions again at the Dublin course.
"We would appreciate a bit more rain. As long as the ground is described as good to soft or softer, we will be fine.
"They have to be 100 per cent on the day but he is well capable of being a Gold Cup horse."
