Trainer Christy Roche is hopeful rather than confident about Afarad's chances in the 14th Ladbroke at Leopardstown on Saturday.
Soft going at the Dublin course is causing Roche most concern over the five-year-old's chances.
Afarad, owned by JP McManus, was third behind Katarino in the Elite Racing Club Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham in March and in the I.A.W.S Champion Four-Year-Old Hurdle at Punchestown the following month, and also finished second to Hors La Loi III in the Glenlivet Anniversary Novices' Hurdle at Aintree.
"He's in good form and Charlie (Swan) will ride him," Roche said today.
"We'd prefer good ground. All his best runs, at Cheltenham, Liverpool and Punchestown, have been on good ground so I'd be more hopeful than confident on soft."
The gelding will only be having his seventh run over timber in the Ladbroke and Roche said: "I don't think that will bother him. He's well travelled, he's raced at Cheltenham, Liverpool and Leopardstown so he's picked up plenty of experience."
Afarad is currently favourite with Ladbrokes for the #100,000 contest but that does not worry the trainer.
"I see the sponsors have him as 4-1 favourite but I don't think Mr McManus will be too bothered what price he'll be, it's just a nice race to win," Roche added. I think the price is out of respect for the owner rather than because of support.
"Knife Edge is the one we've got to beat, he handles the ground and he seems to be well."
The going at Leopardstown is currently soft and is unlikely to be much firmer on Saturday.
Racecourse manager Tom Burke said: "We had some heavy rain this morning which didn't last very long but the going is soft.
"Our forecast for the week is reasonably good, a bit mixed but no huge amounts of rain. There is some rain forecast on Friday night.
"The ground is in good condition and we don't foresee any problems.
"If the forecast is correct it should go back a bit this week so with the rain on Friday the going shouldn't get much worse than it is at the moment."
