Meade - disappointed with gallop. (Getty Images)

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Harchibald is on the drift for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle after failing to shine in a racecourse gallop at Navan on Saturday.

The six-year-old, who leads a very strong Irish challenge for the championship event on March 15, was accompanied by four other horses, including three who are Cheltenham-bound.

All three - Wild Passion, Sir Oj and Watson Lake - finished in front of Harchibald at the end of the work over a mile and three-quarters on soft ground, with the quartet covered by about five lengths.

Trainer Noel Meade said: "I was disappointed. He seemed to tire and empty. He worked exceptionally well in Fairyhouse a fortnight ago, but not here.

"I would love to be able to say he worked well, but he didn't."

Meade gave Harchibald a thorough check-up when he returned to the yard but nothing has come to light as yet.

"He seems fine. He came back after the work and we scoped him and checked him over and everything seemed OK," said Meade on Sunday morning.

Harchibald has traded as low as 4.1 on Betfair but on Sunday morning was available at 10.0 (9-1).

The ease in price isn't quite as dramatic with the fixed odds firms - but Coral and Hills both go 5-1 from 7-2 while Ladbrokes are 9-2 from 7-2.

However Meade is still hopeful that Harchibald will be able to take his chance at Cheltenham.

He added: "We will just have to see how he progresses now. I don't think I will be doing any long pieces of work with him but we will see how he goes and I might give him a little breeze later in the week.

"I wouldn't rule him out of Cheltenham yet though."

It all means that Back In Front and reigning champion Hardy Eustace are now vying for favouritism.

Totesport just give the vote to Hardy Eustace at 3-1 and their spokesman Damian Walker said: "Harchibald had been friendless in the market for some time now and we had have hardly laid a bet on him in the past four weeks prior to Saturday's disappointing gallop.

"By contrast, Hardy Eustace was well supported on Friday and there seems to be plenty of confidence behind Edward O'Grady's Back in Front who is now 7-2 from 4-1.

"Ante-post punters can do with Harchibald pulling out of the Champion Hurdle like a hole in the head after major big-race gambles Kauto Star and Kicking King have cost them dear in recent weeks."