Sublimity passes Carr's road test

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Tales of breaking blood vessels or even breaking down has left Carr annoyed and bewildered by the stories.

He claims all is well with the eight-year-old former Sir Michael Stoute-trained gelding, who seeks to blossom at Cheltenham again on Tuesday.

Sublimity, available at 5-1 behind the 2-1 favourite Sizing Europe, has been seen only once this season when 181⁄2 lengths fourth behind Osana and Katchit in the boylesports.com Hurdle in December.

But he came to Cheltenham 12 months ago with only one run under his belt and Carr is confident his champion is in the same sort of form this time.

Carr said: 'The first I heard about the broken blood vessels was when someone asked (his jockey) Philip Carberry about it and he knew nothing about it either. Then someone told me he had broken down which is rubbish.

'He's had a light campaign, which was always planned. He would have run in the AIG Irish Champion Hurdle (in January) but for the forecast heavy going which turned out to be fine on the day which was very annoying.

'All I feel he has to do is to turn up at Cheltenham in the same form he was in last year. I think last year's race, in which we beat three previous winners plus Detroit City, was better class.

'The only thing we don't know is how good is Sizing Europe is.' Carberry, who will hold up Sublimity behind the pace-making Osana, is aware that his brother Paul will be sitting alongside him on the mercurial Harchibald, who also has to be delivered at the last moment. Philip said: 'We go to Cheltenham happy and confident. He has a high cruising speed and a fast pace will suit us. I'm not too worried about Harchibald.'

Tom Taaffe works his 2005 Gold Cup winner Kicking King this morning to determine if he takes on the big two, Kauto Star and Denman, on Friday week.

Taaffe said: 'He came out of his last race at Gowran with a trapped nerve, which we have sorted out. He seems to be terribly well.'

Doubts about The Listener's Festival target were cleared up yesterday. Providing the going is not too quick, he'll line up in the Ryanair Chase. A Gold Cup tilt has been ruled out.