May be it was Robbie then.
This is an article from Setanata Sports, obviously not privy to Eric's info and regarding the plans from here on in.
John Carr believes that Sublimity is still the horse to beat in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle in March.
The reigning champion was usurped as market leader for the race after Sizing Europe's trouncing of his AIG Europe Champion Hurdle foes on Sunday at Leopardstown.
Sublimity was pulled out of the race earlier in the week when the track was not far off unraceable, and Carr does not regret his absence, even if conditions had dried considerably by Sunday.
He told setantasports.com: "You can't regret now. If I thought it was going to improve like it did, I'd have left him in until the last minute. Our yard isn't far from Leopardstown and I couldn't see things improving like they did. I misjudged the weather.
"The ground wouldn't have been ideal anyway and if we had ended up running him, we'd be riding him for a place and hopefully to get home on the ground. Tacky ground is often much worse than heavy ground.
"The main reason I don't regret is he'd have probably had a hard race and you'd bottom him out very quick. He mightn't have bounced back for a few weeks.
"It doesn't worry me that he did not run - the only thing that worries me is if anything happens in the mean time. We're far fitter now than we are this time last year. We're actually ahead of our schedule and we even have a bit of time to play around with."
Carr opines that Sizing Europe's display on Sunday was not - on the face of it - any better than Sublimity's at Cheltenham last March.
The Maynooth handler argued: "He beat Hardy Eustace and Al Eile - did we not beat Hardy equally as well in the Champion Hurdle?
"The favourite's tag is irrelevant really. And another thing: we know he'll make it a good gallop for us. The race is going to unfold the same as last year."
Carr will keep Sublimity busy between now and Cheltenham.
"We'll follow the plan as closely as I did last year. We're going to go here and there every ten days - Dundalk, The Curragh, my neighbour Eddie Cawley's and Colin Magnier's gallop.
"We'll bring him to Leopardstown for the gallops before the festival and we will give him a variation of work - he pricks his ears when he goes away and loves it."
Carr narrows the race down to Sublimity, Sizing Europe and Osana, while giving Straw Bear an outside chance. He is happy that the champion is considerably fitter than he was when well-beaten in the Bula Hurdle.
"I was happy enough that day - he was a lot less fit than I thought he was. I didn't think he'd blow up. It was a lack of fitness. I'm not an old stager at Cheltenham but that course they ran on that day is a different course. It doesn't suit a speed horse.
"If we get a clear run, I'd be very confident. He is still the horse to beat."
