Just over a week on from winning the Scottish National for Willie Mullins on Captain Cody, Harry Cobden teams up with the champion trainer again in the BetGoodwin Sussex Champion Hurdle on Absurde.
Last year’s County Hurdle winner had a couple of options last weekend, in the Scottish Champion Hurdle and on the Flat at Newbury.
However, Mullins has kept him back for this £100,000 feature as he attempts to reel in Dan Skelton and hold on to his title.
Absurde was third to stablemate Kargese in this year’s County Hurdle off an 8lb higher mark.
He is one of four in the race for Mullins along with Daddy Long Legs (Nico de Boinville), Sir Gerhard (Jonjo O’Neill jr) and Tounsivator (Sam Twiston-Davies).
“It’s pretty exciting riding one for him in the big race at Plumpton,” Cobden told Sky Sports Racing.
“He’s obviously got four in it, but if I was going to pick one, it would definitely be him.
“A sharp left-handed track like that, he’s obviously got plenty of speed, travels well, ran well in the County to finish third, where I’d say the ground was plenty soft for him, so Plumpton is probably made for him.”
Skelton fields Knickerbockerglory, winner of a valuable race at Sandown earlier in the season and who has since run well in two major handicaps, plus She’s A Saint, who won at Aintree recently.