Cheltenham Festival - 'The Countdown'

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Altior left in Champion Chase - - (February 15th 2017)

Brilliant first-season chasers Thistlecrack and Altior feature among the latest acceptors for the six non-novice Grade One championship contests at the Cheltenham Festival after the latest scratchings stage.


Timeform, the Halifax-based ratings experts, has Thistlecrack top of its weight-adjusted ratings on 186 for the feature £575,000 Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup, narrowly ahead of last year's runner-up Djakadam and stablemate Cue Card (184+) who has been scratched from the Ryanair Chase.

The 29 confirmations also include Hennessy Gold Cup hero Native River (178p), Lexus Chase scorer Outlander (180) and Sizing John (179), who relished the step up to three miles in the Irish Gold Cup on Sunday.

Besides Outlander, Gordon Elliott and owner Gigginstown House Stud also combine with Don Poli (178), last year's third, Irish Gold Cup runner-up Empire Of Dirt (178) and Roi Des Francs.

Willie Mullins-trained stars Douvan (193p), unbeaten in 13 starts including twice at The Festival for Ireland's champion Jump trainer, and Un De Sceaux (183), the 2016 second, head Timeform's ratings for the two-mile chasing championship, the £350,000 Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (20 acceptors).

Unbeaten novice chaser Altior (178p) has been left in after his dazzling display at Newbury, but is more likely to contest the £175,000 Racing Post Arkle Novices' Chase.

Impressive course and distance scorer Fox Norton (177+), 2014 champion Sire De Grugy (177) and locally-trained God's Own (176), last year's fourth, remain engaged.

Douvan, Djakadam and Un De Sceaux are also among 34 entries going forward for the £300,000 Ryanair Chase over an extended two and a half miles.

The 2015 scorer Uxizandre (178), who returned from almost two years off the track with a good second on Festival Trials Day, is on course for the race along with Irish Gold Cup runner-up Empire Of Dirt (178), who was an impressive winner in handicap company at The Festival last year.

Leading owner J P McManus holds a strong hand in the £400,000 Stan James Champion Hurdle with 2014 victor Jezki and Yanworth heading Timeform's ratings on 178.

Another McManus-owned contender Buveur D'Air (176p) is ante-post favourite with most bookmakers after a smooth return to hurdling at Sandown Park on February 4, while stalwart The New One (177x) could run in his fourth Champion Hurdle after finishing fourth (2016), fifth (2015) and third (2014).

Petit Mouchoir (175) is among eight Irish-trained confirmations and the Gigginstown House Stud-owned six-year-old is much improved this season following a brace of top level triumphs at Leopardstown.

McManus is also responsible for Timeform's top three rated contenders going forward in the £300,000 Sun Bets Stayers' Hurdle, headed by Unowhatimeanharry (180). The nine-year-old has won his last eight races over hurdles including the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle and galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham.

The 36 confirmations also include last year's Champion Hurdle third Nichols Canyon (174) and French Champion Hurdle scorer Un Temps Pour Tout (173), a winner over fences at The Festival in 2016.

Mullins has trimmed down his entries for the £110,000 OLBG Mares' Hurdle to seven (from an initial 15) but the trainer still boasts a formidable hand as he seeks a remarkable ninth consecutive victory in the race.

Six of the seven top 10 mares according to Timeform are trained by Mullins and none are more popular than Vroum Vroum Mag (173) who captured this race impressively last year and has won 13 of her 14 starts since joining Ireland's champion trainer.

Mullins has also left in exciting novices Airlie Beach (165), Augusta Kate (158p) and Let's Dance (160p) while Vroum Vroum Mag also retains entries in the Champion Hurdle, Gold Cup, Ryanair Chase, Stayers Hurdle and Champion Chase.

Last year's leading juvenile hurdler Apple's Jade (170) defeated Vroum Vroum Mag by a short-head in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse in December and could re-oppose.

[bennythedip2]

So with the Festival only a couple of weeks away now and the picture as to -who goes where - not any clearer, i've gone for a couple of small lucky 15's on those i really fancy and pretty sure these will be their races ..

Anyway , these are a few on my short lists - Good luck all, and roll on the Festival)

Tuesday 14th

Messire Des Obeaux - 20/1 (Supreme Novices Hurdle)
Altior - 1/4 (Arkle Chase)
Saphir Du Rheu - 14/1 (Ultima Handicap Chase)
Buveur Dair - 3/1 (Champion Hurdle)
Vroum Vroum Mag - 11/8 (Olbg Mares Hurdle)
Baywing - 16/1 (National Hunt Chase)

(bet's sorted. small multi)
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Project Bluebook - 20/1 - (Triumph Hurdle)
Top Notch - 4/1 - (Jlt Novices Chase)
Champ -14/1 - (Champion Bumper) NR
Buveur Dair - 3/1 - (Champion Hurdle)
---------------------------------------------

Buveur Dair - 3/1 - (Champion Hurdle)
Baywing - 16/1 - (National Hunt Chase)
Cliffs Of Dover - 14/1 - (Triumph Hurdle) - NR
Thistlecrack - 6/4 - (Cheltenham Gold Cup) - NR
----------------------------------------------

Another 'Micro' anti post bet seeing as we have a couple of Non Runners in one of our previous bets ..

Buveur Dair - 11/4 (Champion Hurdle)
Baywing - 16/1 (National Hunt Chase)
Champ -14/1 (Champion Bumper) ..NR
Top Notch - 4/1 (Jlt Novices Chase)
Project Bluebook - 20/1 (Triumph Hurdle)
Bristol De Mai - 20/1 (Cheltenham Gold Cup)

Benny says -"Who wants to be a Millionaire"

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Cheltenham nerves hit Tizzard - - (February 19 2017)

Colin Tizzard is bracing himself for a "nervous" three weeks after Cue Card's tremendous display in Saturday's Ascot Chase all but confirmed the Dorset handler will saddle Britain's three biggest hopes for next month's Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Heading the betting for the blue riband is Thistlecrack, who proved too strong for Cue Card in the King George VI Chase before suffering his first defeat over fences at the hands of the ill-fated Many Clouds at Cheltenham last month.

His Hennessy Gold Cup and Welsh Grand National-winning stable companion, Native River, looks set to line up at Prestbury Park as second-favourite after completing his hat-trick in last weekend's Denman Chase at Newbury.

Cue Card, who Tizzard revealed on Saturday emerged from his King George reverse with a "big, fat leg", is currently third in the market at 6/1 after he bounced back to his brilliant best with what his trainer felt was a foot-perfect display in Berkshire.

Tizzard said: "Cue Card is absolutely fine this morning.

"I thought his performance on Saturday was as perfect as you can get. On all known form he deserved to win, but that doesn't mean they will.

"He travelled and jumped and came away in his own time, so we were delighted."

Looking ahead to the Gold Cup on March 17, the trainer added: "We're in a lovely position and now it's a case of trying to get them all there in one piece.

"Every day will be a nervous day for the next few weeks, hoping something doesn't go wrong.

"We just hope we don't get any bad luck."

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Bristol De Mai set for Gold Cup after excuse emerges for Newbury run - - (Monday 20th February 2017)

Bristol De Mai - - By Racinguk.com staff

Connections of Bristol De Mai are putting a line through his lifeless run in the Denman Chase and are heading for the Cheltenham Gold Cup after a valid reason emerged for the disappointing effort.

Having been so impressive at Haydock in the Peter Marsh Chase, the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained grey finished last of three to Hennessy Gold Cup and Welsh National hero Native River at Newbury.

However, he was found to be lame the day after, having knocked a joint, which also had a cut.

"The day after he ran Nigel reported he was very lame," said Anthony Bromley, racing manager to owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.

"He gave his near-fore joint a whack and it took him a few days to get over it, but he was cantering again at the weekend.

"He also got a cut on the same joint and Daryl (Jacob) said that very early on he knew he wasn't travelling and he didn't feel like the same horse.

"I think there was a combination of factors, Haydock probably took more out of him than we thought and he may have hurt himself jumping the first as he landed very steeply.

"We don't think it was his true running, he didn't jump like he can so we think he has a valid excuse.

"We're under no illusions, he'll be going to the Gold Cup as an outsider but it looks like being a big field and where else can you go with a horse with his rating?

"Nigel thinks he can get him back to where he was at Haydock and we'll roll the dice."

Native River was ridden by Aidan Coleman at Newbury, with regular partner Richard Johnson watching from the sidelines through illness.

But the champion jockey will be back on board next month and feels he is on the right horse in the Gold Cup.

"Thistlecrack looked unbeatable in the King George, but he got beat last month and that gave us all some hope. The step up in trip is also a slight unknown," Johnson told his Betway blog.

"You need to stay to win a Gold Cup. One Man and Florida Pearl were the best horses of their generation, but they didn't win Gold Cups. They just couldn't handle the extra distance.

"I know some have questioned the form of the Denman Chase with Le Mercurey so close, but he was only three and a half lengths behind Many Clouds at Aintree in December.

"I feel that Native River is the horse open to the most improvement in the race. He's a guaranteed stayer and that is a big advantage.

"Before the Hennessy I thought he was a very good horse but knew that he had to improve. That's exactly what he has done and for me all he's done this season is enhance his credentials. We haven't got to the bottom of him yet.

"If they all get there, you'd be surprised if they're not all involved after three out. It will be from three out to the winning post that is the biggest test."

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Thistlecrack out of Gold Cup - - - (February 21st 2017)

Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite Thistlecrack will miss the remainder of the campaign after suffering a tendon injury.


The dominant force in the staying hurdle division last season, the Colin Tizzard-trained nine-year-old won his first four starts over fences, including a scintillating victory in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Despite suffering a narrow defeat at the hands of the ill-fated Many Clouds in the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham at the end of January, he remained at the head of the betting for the blue riband on March 17, but he will not line up at Prestbury Park next month.

Tizzard told Press Association Sport: "Thistlecrack is out for the season, unfortunately.

"He had a bit of heat in his leg last night and was a bit sore.

"We had the leg scanned this morning and he has a slight tear on his tendon.

"We've seen it at every yard and it happens every year."

Tizzard is still responsible for the favourite and second favourite for the race with Sky Bet, who make Native River their 3/1 market leader ahead of Cue Card at 4/1.

Djakadam is an 11/2 chance for Willie Mullins with fellow Irish raiders Outlander and Sizing John the only other horses at single figure prices, with both currently trading at 8/1 in a non-runner/no bet market.

Spokesman Michael Shinners said: "It's obviously very disappointing to lose Thistlecrack from the Gold Cup field and we are left with a very open betting heat. Native River is our new favourite ahead of Cue Card and it will be interesting to see which way punters go now."

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Zarkandar To Tackle Stayers - - - (Tue 21st Feb)

Paul Nicholls has had a change of heart with Zarkandar who is now set to take up his entry in the Sun Bets Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Nicholls had mentioned possibly sending the former Triumph Hurdle winner straight to Aintree, but the Ditcheat handler will now aim the 10-year-old at the Grade One event he won on four consecutive occasions with Big Buck's between 2009 and 2012.

After finishing well held in the Long Walk Hurdle before Christmas, the multiple Grade One winner rolled back the years at the weekend to claim his first win since November 2014 with victory in the Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock.

Nicholls said: "It wasn't the greatest race on Saturday, but he travelled great and won well and Harry (Cobden) said he had tons left in the tank.

"He will run in the Stayers' Hurdle as long as everything is OK. I think the lads that own him are quite keen to go to Cheltenham.

"I just looked at it and he really has come out of the race quite well. If we are not happy, we will wait and go to Aintree.

"I recauterized his palate before he ran the other day and that wasn't because he was making a noise at Ascot, just sometimes these older horses if they have had a wind operation in the past they just need their palate fine tuned. He was right back to his best straight away at home and on the course.

"Two years ago he was third in it when he made a horrific mistake at the second-last, which cost him any chance of winning. He is back in form and it is an open-looking race.

"The plan is to go there and have another crack and I'm sure he will run another good race."

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Nicky Henderson Stable Tour - - (February 22nd 2017)

Nicky Henderson is set to run three in the Champion Hurdle as we get the lowdown on his Cheltenham team.

Champion Hurdle

I'll run three in the Stan James Champion Hurdle, Brain Power, Buveur D'Air and My Tent Or Yours and it's just a question of where we'll finish them off now. Nothing will run beforehand and there are various gallops planned.

Because he didn't run at Sandown I was toying with running Brain Power at Kempton on Saturday but decided against it. He worked well on Monday and Buveur D'Air did likewise on Tuesday. Brain Power cantered around Newbury after the Betfair Hurdle.

My Tent Or Yours is in good shape, really good shape. He was second in the Champion last year and has been something of a forgotten horse. He wasn't quite sparkling earlier in the season and will go to Kempton on Tuesday for a gallop

He'll love the Champion. He wants a really fast-run race, which he hasn't had it all year. We should have made the running in the Haydock race which turned into a silly affair.

It's so far so good with them, they're all intended runners. Barry Geraghty hasn't given me any indication what he's going to ride, I haven't spoken to him about it.

I hope David Mullins will ride Brain Power. I'd imagine it's between Buveur D'Air and Yanworth for Barry, or he could surprise you and ride Tent.

I should think there's a possibility Noel Fehily would ride Buveur D'Air if Barry didn't. He rode him all last season and Barry virtually sat on him for the first time in his life at Sandown last time.

The good thing is it isn't a problem from my point of view. If Barry rides our horse, great, if he doesn't I don't think we have a problem.

I think Brain Power has done everything right and looks really well, he's been great, the one thing you could say is there is a ground situation here.

Buveur D'Air would love it soft and Brain Power good. We all know on day one it's going to be good to soft or softer. The softer the better for Buveur D'Air - that helps him and goes against Brain Power and My Tent Or Yours.

If you take it strictly on what he did at Sandown, Buveur D'Air wouldn't deserve to be favourite for a Champion Hurdle. He beat Rayvin Black and Irving who didn't really perform there or at Wincanton the next time where they were beaten even further. We've just got to do our own thing though.

I've always thought he was a Champion Hurdle horse even though he was very good over fences. The switch back wasn't entirely down to what was happening with the Champion Hurdle.

Yes Annie Power missing out made you think but I said to Barry before racing at Cheltehham that day that this horse needs to come back into the Champion whatever happens to Faugheen tomorrow.

Half an hour later Faugheen was out of the Sunday race but I was adamant before that my horse had to come back into a Champion Hurdle.

We've seen horses come through handicaps and look very good but it's always a big gap. However, rated 163 Brain Power has nowhere else to go. He has a very high cruising speed, you need that, you have to be able to travel through the race, and I'd expect they'll go a good gallop with The New One and Petit Mouchoir in the field.

Altior

We're a long way from another Sprinter Sacre but he's creeping up the road. We took the same route as Sprinter did in the Game Spirit and now he's got to come out and win the Arkle. If it happens and he doesn't do something silly there will be comparisons with ratings and the like. You wouldn't believe you could put away one as great as that and replace him with another. And this is a two miles horse and two miles only. It can't have been the wrong thing to do [go over fences this season] as there are that many people trying to convince us to go in the Champion Chase. If he's capable of taking on Douvan they must be thinking we've got something right. This horse could jump with Douvan. A lot of horses can't because a) they aren't fast enough and b) they can't jump quick enough. So far that's what he's been able to do. After Sandown we said we'd stay down this road (novice chasing). He was great around Newbury which was the first time Nico [De Boinville] had ridden him. The one reason I really wanted to run him was so that Nico got to go around a racecourse on him before Cheltenham because Noel [Fehily] - who had ridden him quite beautifully - had ridden him the first three times so it was important that Nico had a ride on him but he knows he's way around [Cheltenham].

Beyond Conceit

It's between the Sky Bet Supreme and Neptune for him and if it came up very soft I'd definitely be keen to go to the Supreme. On good ground we might go over two-and-a-half. He pulled very hard over that trip at Ascot on Saturday and did well to win. It looked as though stamina won the day there but I wouldn't be sure. Barry rode him the first day at Newbury and said he didn't want any further. He's an older horse and travels well and I'm thinking two miles but we don't know.

Charli Parcs

I don't think he minds anything [ground-wise]. If he gets soft ground on Saturday at Kempton he'll run because he has to and I don't think it will worry him. I'd like to run him in the Triumph I must admit. He's very smart, a proper four-year-old. He's got to go and do it on Saturday. If you go into the Supreme you get allowances… we'll have to see. JP McManus has got a lot of horses in a number of categories. He's a lot of horses in the Supreme as well, I've got Consul De Thaix of JP's that could easily come in there, then there's Paul's horse who was second in the Betfair, Movewiththetimes, and a number in Ireland as well. They'll have to put the right horses in the right place and that's probably not my call.

Consul Du Thaix

He's another who belongs to JP McManus and will come in somewhere. Where I'm not sure at this stage. He's in the Supreme and that's one of the options but JP has others for that race.

Daphne Du Clos

We might even hit the bumper with her this year which would be very, very strange for me. She's forward and mature for a four-year-old filly. The history books tell you that isn't possible but that looks open this year. I know poor Willie (Mullins) has lost his best one and she looked very good the other day and she gets all the allowances - I think she's got 10-4. I love bumpers but that as a race for young horses, if they're not up to it they get such a brutally hard race and our bumper horses aren't trained like that. They have a run and then they have a second run and they get put away for novice hurdles. Some guys probably have four of five trips to the racecourses and they're well prepared for it. You come down that hill flat to the boards with young horses and they will get hard races. They've got to be very good and I think she's different [to our usual bumper horses]. We were second in it with Trabolgan and he turned out to be a very good staying chaser.

Different Gravey

We were going to go back over hurdles - he's in the National Spirit at Fontwell on Sunday [and he had that entry] with a view to going back over hurdles including the Aintree Hurdle and missing Cheltenham. But, his jumping has come back the last 10 days. He'll either run in the Pendil on Saturday with a view to running in the JLT or he'll go to Fontwell and miss Cheltenham. I think the Pendil is the probability as his jumping has just come back, whereas three weeks ago he was just awful.

Domperignon Du Lys & Divin Bear

The Fred Winter is the handicap I like this year. It's normally not a race for us, you either have a Triumph horse or you don't have anything, but these two fit the bill here. Between them I think it's a race we have a very, very good chance in. They are slightly exposed, Divin Bear is rated 137 which is normally not where the winner comes from, Domperignon is 133 which is usually more realistic. They are both in good shape.

Josses Hill (and Vaniteux)

He's been excellent this year. He wasn't that good at Kempton but he's in good shape now. He goes for the Ryanair and some good ground would be nice. I think Un De Sceaux likes to get his toe in so good ground for that race please. Vaniteux is also in good form and goes for that race.

L'Ami Serge

He might go for that race at Fontwell on Sunday [National Spirit Hurdle]. Or is he still in the Champion Chase? Just see who's going to take on Douvan, look at the second and third prize money. That's the thought with him at the moment. Left-handed over fences, he's good round there. He did disappoint. I can excuse him Haydock but I don't know what happened at Cheltenham the time before because he looked to have done everything right that day. As I said to Simon [Munir, owner] afterwards, this horse looked like a two miler... attack, attack, attack.

Lough Derg Spirit

He's looked very good. He won a good trial at Musselburgh last time on good ground which would help him. He might just be an Aintree horse rather than Cheltenham but we'll see, we could go either way.

Might Bite

Might Bite goes into the RSA. It was horrible at Kempton but he had a nice run around Doncaster. He's been very good. Someone said to me the other day 'will you be happy with him on an undulating track as he's only ever been around flat tracks?' Well, there are plenty of horses that have gone to Cheltenham having only run on flat tracks. It's not a worry. His jumping has been good. It would be nice for Might Bite not to have to make it. He must have a powerful engine. It was going to be a staggering performance [in the Kauto Star Novices' Chase].

Peace And Co

The horse who is going to come back and who I might take to Kempton this week is Peace And Co and I might take him to Kempton this weekend. He is working extremely well and you could ride him in a head collar, all that lunacy has gone and I'm not saying you're going to see another Lazarus but you might do. He's working very well, he's been working with all the boys over the last few weeks. He's in the Imperial Cup, then he's going to win the bonus in the County Hurdle and in between he's going to chase round Douvan for second place prize money! He had a wind operation, he had pneumonia - that helped him a hell of a lot. I don't know why but he's just come back a completely different person. Everything before was 100 miles an hour as it was on the racecourse but now everything seems great.

River Wylde

He runs in the Sky Bet Dovecote at Kempton on Saturday and could run in the Supreme. That's a race you need the right horse for. If it's a year too soon get out of it, it's not where you want to be.

Top Notch

He's extraordinary because at the start of the season we said we'd give him a couple of runs in novice chases around the smaller tracks to give him confidence as he wouldn't have the scope for chasing. Then we could bring him back over hurdles and maybe try him over three, see if he made a Stayers' hurdler. He was a nowhere-to-go horse really. He was getting the hang of it in small-field novice chases and learning to jump and getting his confidence up. He grew and grew and grew and grew until we get to Sandown and he's the best jumper there is in the Scilly Isles. He loved it. He loves soft ground. Two-and-a-half helps him too. He'll have a tough task with Yorkhill and Whisper could be in the mix too.

Verdana Blue

She looked very good yesterday (at Taunton). She will almost certainly turn up in the Trull House Stud Mares Novices' Hurdle. She looked very good.

Whisper

Whisper I think goes for the JLT. He could move up to three, I want to talk to Davy Russell and Dai Walters about that. He stays three and it's a possible. He just went for a bit of a wander in the park for a year or so, we've all done it. He got beaten at Exeter by something not spectacular but he's put it together now and he gets on very well with Davy. He's a great style of riding a horse and he just tells him to get on with it and I love it. It suits him down to the ground.

[bennythedip2]

Phil Tufnell named as Betbright Cup captain - - (February 25 2017)


Phil Tufnell is "feeling pretty confident" about the chances of a British success in the BetBright Cup at the Cheltenham Festival.

The former England cricketer and Irish TV and radio presenter Hector Ó hEochagáin were announced as the respective British and Irish captains for the prize, which is awarded to the country with the greatest number of Festival winners.

Ó hEochagáin captained the Ireland side in 2016, but Tufnell is a fresh addition to the line-up this year and is eager for the competition.

He said: "I'm really looking forward to going down to Cheltenham with Hector showing me the ropes a little bit. I think it will be a great four days.

"I'm feeling pretty confident, even if they had brought their A team as they have had a few setbacks. Bring it on."

Last year's event ended in a draw with 14 winners apiece, and Ó hEochagáin is keen to return to Prestbury Park.

He said: "I've just got back from going to Central America before Christmas. I came through the jungles of Honduras and El Salvador and Guatamala, so I look forward to going to another jungle which is Cheltenham.

"We are up for this as well this year. It's the greatest week in racing. It's the rivalry between Ireland and England that we are celebrating here and we are great friends and neighbours. If we can come across with some good horses, we are still in there with a fighting chance."

Rich Ricci, chairman of BetBright, believes the Irish could be up against it this year with the likes of Faugheen, Annie Power and Min, all of whom run in his colours, on the sidelines through injury.

However, Ricci is delighted to see his firm back the competition for a third year.

He said: "It's great to be able to sponsor these things. We could not have got off to a better start to the BetBright Cup. It was competitive throughout.

"I know the odds are stacked against Ireland, but I'm sure they will be competitive. We have got a few up our sleeves that might do all right.

"It's supposed to be fun to enjoy celebrating the Festival and that's what it is."

Ricci also updated on the latest situation with his star mares Limini and Vroum Vroum Mag, with the Festival fast approaching.

Limini impressed in beating Apple's Jade at Punchestown during the week, a race Annie Power won last year before being supplemented for the Champion Hurdle. She could yet follow the same route.

Ricci said: said: "It was a very good performance the other day from Limini. Willie (Mullins) and I haven't really had much chance to talk about it (supplementing). She was very good and it has to be discussed.

"We were successful last year with it and it's a wide-open race. If you fancy Buveur D'Air you probably really have to think about running, given her performance at Aintree (third to Buveur D'Air). She looks much bigger and stronger, and has improved beyond all recognition.

"We've not talked in great detail, the supplement stage is Thursday week. In the meantime she is working well."

He added of Vroum Vroum Mag, who was rather laboured in winning at Doncaster and has a plethora of Cheltenham entries: "I'm confused by Vroum Vroum Mag. Last year, the way she ran, you would have said she will probably get three miles and the Stayers' Hurdle would be an option. This year she just seems a lot keener in her races.

"Over two miles the last day something clearly was amiss. She is fine now, but that wasn't particularly impressive. Two and a half to me feels like her trip, but to get two miles at Cheltenham you need to get two and a half. I'm very confused by her. I would imagine the natural race for her would be the mares' race.

"It depends how she is working and as Willie said earlier in the week, she has just started coming back into work. Her first two pieces have been very good and we are pleased with that. We will see how she gets on.

"I think we are trying to find the right race for her, whether it is against the geldings or the mares, and to me the two and half feels like the right trip. I think it is highly unlikely she will go over fences, unless there is some disaster.

"Possibly (the pair ending up in the same race), it's not something I like to do as you all know, but I can see that happening. We've done it before, but perhaps not with two superstars.

"If you are going to do it, that's where it is going to come to a head. It is possible they could both run in the mares' race. "

[bennythedip2]

Nigel Twiston-Davies (and Benny) excited by Bristol De Mai - (March 02 2017)

Nigel Twiston-Davies is excited about the prospects of Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup contender Bristol De Mai.

The six-year-old dominated his rivals in the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock and although he proved no match for Gold Cup favourite Native River at Newbury three weeks later, his trainer found a viable excuse for that disappointing effort.

Twiston-Davies said: "I think he's very exciting. He was really good at Haydock and we can put a line through Newbury as he was not himself that day.

"We thought, 'Oh dear, he's not very good', but we got him back and he was lame for the whole of the next week.

"He's come back right now and if he stays sound, he's very good and I'm very hopeful.

"He's a very nice horse who goes his own pace and you don't tell him what to do.

"He'll be right up there in the front line. He settles much better now and stays and jumps and he's uncomplicated."

[bennythedip2]

Fehily and Walsh land key McManus rides in the Champion Hurdle
Noel Fehily celebrates after enjoying Cheltenham Festival success on Unowhatimeanharry; - - By Lee Mottershead (RP) (MAR 6 2017)

Noel Fehily on Monday found himself booked to ride the favourite in two of the Cheltenham Festival's four showpiece championship events after being selected by JP McManus to partner Buveur D'Air and Unowhatimeanharry, described by his big-race jockey as boasting "a massive chance".

One man's misery has turned into good fortune for three others, with Mark Walsh and Aidan Coleman set to join Fehily in the famous green and gold silks, whose normal first-choice model Barry Geraghty is sidelined through injury.

While a number of bookmakers have Buveur D'Air as market leader for the Stan James Champion Hurdle, other firms prefer the claims of another McManus candidate, Yanworth. He will be steered by Walsh, a key part of the owner's team in Ireland and also chosen to assist Yanworth's Alan King-trained stablemate Uxizandre in the Ryanair Chase.

My Tent Or Yours will give McManus a third shot at landing the Champion Hurdle and will be ridden by Aidan Coleman, who also gets on Minella Rocco in the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup, in which Walsh is on that horse's Jonjo O'Neill-trained stable companion More Of That.

Fehily is being reunited with old friends, having last season been a familiar presence on the back of Buveur D'Air, including when third to Altior in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, and Unowhatimeanharry, his other half when the pair claimed the festival's Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle.

Both horses were subsequently sold to McManus, with Unowhatimeanharry completing a hat-trick of wins this season and Buveur D'Air making a successful return to hurdles from fences at Sandown.

"This is the nature of the game," said Fehily when asked about taking over from Geraghty.

"Unowhatimeanharry has done nothing but improve and I thought his last run in the Cleeve was one of his most impressive. I don't know where he has found all the improvement from, but he has found it, and it's great to get back on him. He looks to have a massive chance.

"I'm delighted to get back on Buveur D'Air as well. He ran a great race in the Supreme, despite not finding the best passage and the ground being quick enough for him. He then beat Petit Mouchoir at Aintree, which now looks very good.

"I always thought he was going to be a horse for the big races over hurdles. If the rain keeps coming, so much the better."

Fehily was cut by bet365 into a best-priced 8-1 (from 10) joint-second favourite to be top jockey at the festival next week after news of the McManus bookings, while another from his book, star novice hurdler Neon Wolf, was on Monday backed for both the Sky Bet Supreme and Neptune Investment Management novice hurdles.

Unlike Buveur D'Air and Unowhatimeanharry, Yanworth will have a brand new jockey after Walsh's Irish association with McManus won him the coveted seats on Yanworth and Uxizandre, plus the Jessica Harrington-trained Jezki in the Sun Bets Stayers' Hurdle.

Alan King, trainer of Yanworth and Uxizandre, said: "I spoke to JP about it over the weekend and they want Mark to ride, which I'm not surprised about as he's their jockey.

"I don't know him but I do know he's a first-class rider, and he'll be coming over this week for some schooling."

Walsh will be seeking his first win at the festival having had 19 previous attempts, the vast majority of them for McManus, faring best when third on Quantitativeeasing in last season's cross-country chase.

Ground conditions remained unchanged on Monday, with clerk of the course Simon Claisse saying: "We had 9mm of rain over the weekend, so I've left the description as it was, which is good to soft on the Old course, good to soft, good in places on the New and cross-country courses.

"The forecast is still unsettled with bits and pieces of rain between now and next Tuesday, amounting to between nine and 11 millimetres, which would maintain current conditions. There's nothing in the forecast that causes concern."

Asked if he would agree with bookmakers, who have good to soft as long odds-on favourite to be the opening race's ground description, Claisse added: "I'm not sure any bet is safe this year given the volatility of the weather."

Who rides what for JP? Monday's McManus movements . . .

Noel Fehily
Buveur D'Air (Champion Hurdle), Unowhatimeanharry (Stayers' Hurdle)

Mark Walsh
Yanworth (Champion Hurdle), Uxizandre (Ryanair Chase), Jezki (Stayers' Hurdle), More Of That (Gold Cup)

Aidan Coleman
My Tent Or Yours (Champion Hurdle), Minella Rocco (Gold Cup)