Hewick in ‘great old form’ – but Hanlon on Gold Cup weather watch

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John ‘Shark’ Hanlon says Hewick is “better than he ever was” – but will make a last-minute decision on whether or not the American Grand National winner will run in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday.

The eight-year-old shot to prominence when landing the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown in April last year and followed up winning the valuable Galway Plate.

He then looked poised to add the Kerry National at Listowel to his CV, only to unseat Jordan Gainford at the last. But he earned compensation when taking the American Grand National at Far Hills, Maryland.

He has not run run since that success in October and after his final piece of work on the sands at Woodstown Beach in Waterford on Sunday morning, Hanlon was more than satisfied with his preparation.

However, while he is not cowering at the prospect of taking on the likes of Irish Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs, last year’s victor A Plus Tard and King George hero Bravemansgame in the blue riband, he is concerned about the potential for soft ground this week.

“We’re just coming off the beach and he is in great old form,” said Hanlon. “We just have to keep him fresh now.

“The ground is the only thing. That’s the only thing I’m afraid of. I’m hoping you won’t get a lot more rain over there.

“He is a much better horse on good ground and he’d handle good ground where other horses wouldn’t.”

Hewick is also entered for the Randox Grand National at Aintree on April 15, where he is due to shoulder joint-top weight of 11st 12lb along with last year’s runner-up Any Second Now and dual Grade One winner Conflated.

Hewick is a general 20-1 for the Gold Cup and 25-1 for the Grand National, and the Bagenalstown handler says he would not mind which race Hewick won, though his chance would improve with a sounder surface than is forecast at this week’s Festival meeting.

“You don’t want to leave his race at Cheltenham with the National only four weeks away,” added Halon.

“We have to think of everything. But we are bringing him over on Wednesday morning and we’ll make a decision on the morning (of the Gold Cup).

Shark Hanlon says Hewick is in ripe form ahead of Friday's Gold Cup
Shark Hanlon says Hewick is in ripe form ahead of Friday’s Gold Cup (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

“He’s in great form and I think he is better than he ever was. Everything went well with his preparation.

“Any of the two races will do us now. The National is something you dream of all your life, but a Gold Cup would be very special, so if we could be placed in it, we’d be very happy.

“The Gold Cup is the purists’ race, while the National is the people’s race – and he’s the people’s horse.

“He has a lot of weight for the National, but he’s carried a heavy weight everywhere he went before and he managed it, so I’m not over-worried by it.”

Constitution Hill faces State Man as seven line up in Champion Hurdle

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Hot favourite Constitution Hill will take on six rivals in the Unibet Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham on Tuesday.

The Nicky Henderson-trained six-year-old has been sensational since making his debut at Sandown in December 2021, winning all five of his starts under rules, including the last four at the top level.

He has not raced since sauntering to a 17-length defeat of stablemate Epatante in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day, but is long odds-on to give Henderson a ninth victory in the extended two-mile showpiece.

Willie Mullins saddles State Man, who has a little more experience and is unbeaten in six completed outings for his Closutton trainer after falling on his Irish debut.

State Man is one of two Willie Mullins' representatives in the Champion Hurdle
State Man is one of two Willie Mullins’ representatives in the Champion Hurdle (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

State Man has similarly won his last four Grade One contests and heads to Prestbury Park as the Irish Champion Hurdle winner.

Mullins is double-handed with last year’s Triumph Hurdle winner Vauban lining up, while Gordon Elliott is responsible for Zanahiyr, who finished third in the race last year but has subsequently been disqualified.

Phil Kirby has declared Jason The Militant, while Nigel Twiston-Davies relies on I Like To Move It, who won the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham in November and also the Grade Two Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton on his last run.

The field is completed by Not So Sleepy, who represents Hughie Morrison.

Marie’s Rock taking on Epatante and Honeysuckle in Mares’ Hurdle to savour

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Marie’s Rock will defend her crown in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle with the eight-year-old one of three to line up in the race for Nicky Henderson.

Owned by Middleham Park Racing, she got the better of Gordon Elliott’s Queens Brook to triumph 12 months ago and will arrive at Cheltenham on Tuesday unbeaten in four having followed up last year’s success at both the Punchestown Festival and on reappearance in the Relkeel on New Year’s Day.

Much of the speculation in the build-up to the Festival has centred around the possibility of Marie’s Rock stepping up to three miles for a crack at the Stayers’ Hurdle, but with conditions forecast to be on the slow side throughout the week, connections have plumped for the shorter option which could steal the show on the opening day.

Middleham Park’s Tom Palin said: “There’s a bit of an unsettled forecast at the back end of the week and that kind of made our decision for us.

“We’d love to see her over three miles and I’m pretty sure we’ll go to Aintree and see her there in the three-mile Grade One hurdle on Grand National day.

“That’s probably her next target and I’d love to see her over that, but I think the New course is stamina-sapping at the best of times and if you chuck in there soft, or maybe worse than that, you might just be asking a few too many questions in one big hit.”

Marie’s Rock is joined in the line-up by stablemates Epatante and Theatre Glory, who were both late supplementary entries at the six-day stage, while last year’s Mares Novices’ Hurdle winner Love Envoi also takes her chance.

Nicky Henderson saddles three in the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival
Nicky Henderson saddles three in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival (Zac Goodwin/PA)

The race is also the place for Honeysuckle’s farewell to the racecourse as the dual Champion Hurdle heroine looks to record her fourth straight Festival victory and recapture the prize she won in 2020.

“She’s gone over and it’s exciting having her going over there again,” said trainer Henry de Bromhead.

“We’ll see what Tuesday brings, she seems in great form and everyone seems happy.”

On it being a hot renewal, De Bromhead added: “Absolutely, but no more than you’d expect. We’re delighted to have her going and we’ll see how it unfolds.”

Willie Mullins saddles four as 14 go to post for the opening Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

Facile Vega heads the bookmakers lists looking to give the master of Closutton a sixth victory in the race in the past 10 years, while his Dublin Racing Festival conqueror and stablemate Il Etait Temps is also in the mix.

Facile Vega looks to bounce back at the Cheltenham Festival
Facile Vega looks to bounce back at the Cheltenham Festival (Donall Farmer/PA)

Royal Bond scorer Marine Nationale, Tolworth champion Tahmuras and one-time Derby favourite High Definition are all other notable entries.

Two powerhouses are set to clash in the Sporting Life Arkle with El Fabiolo and Jonbon the main players among the nine declared, while Gaillard Du Mesnil is the choice of Patrick Mullins in the concluding Wellchild National Hunt Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Novices’ Chase.

There are 23 declared for the Ultima Handicap Chase where Corach Rambler looks to defend his crown, while a full field heads to post for a typically ultra-competitive edition of the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.

Grange Walk bags Gowran feature and tees up Aintree trip

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Grange Walk teed himself up for a trip to Aintree next month with a clear-cut victory in the Holden Plant Rentals Shamrock Handicap Chase at Gowran Park.

John Ryan’s charge was not done with when falling two fences from home at last month’s Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown in the race won by Final Orders and was fitted with blinkers for this €45,000 feature.

Ridden by 5lb claimer Liam Quinlan, Grange Walk proved two and a quarter lengths too strong for runner-up Minx Tiara, with Shakeytry best of the rest in third.

“I thought he was the only horse in the field capable of winning a Grade Two and the rest were handicappers. He’s a bit more than a handicapper,” said Ryan.

“He’s been a bit of an unlucky sort. Liam gave him a tip-top ride – he’s a brave lad over a fence.

“He’ll go to Aintree, the owner wants to go there. He’ll go to a two-mile handicap.

“He’s a proper two-mile chaser and the blinkers probably helped a bit.”

David Christie has stated all along that he feels Ferns Lock is booked for the top and he did nothing to alter his trainer’s thoughts when winning the INHSC Supporting Point-To-Points Tetratema Cup Hunters Chase as a 1-4 favourite should.

Just a six-year-old, Christie felt Cheltenham would come too soon for him this year, and in any case, the trainer plans on fielding last year’s narrow runner-up Winged Leader and ante-post favourite Vaucelet for that event.

Ridden by Barry O’Neill he was soon in a clear advantage and was never off the bridle in the beating Lough Derg Spirit by three and a half lengths.

Winning connections with Ferns Lock
Winning connections with Ferns Lock (Gary Carson/PA)

“At one or two on the far side he was having a look, he went to shorten and I think he actually stood on himself. I see he pulled a shoe,” said O’Neill.

“On that ground he’s travelling away and he wants to get on with it a bit and you only want to be popping away.

“I’ve no doubt in a better race, going a better gallop, maybe you could take a lead and he’ll be 100 percent.

“To be honest he’s so far ahead of everything at the moment you are restricting him a little bit by sitting against him. I’ve no doubt going forward that he’ll be fine.

“He seems to have everything. Everyone was talking about Cheltenham this year but myself and Dave had a good chat earlier in the year and it was just coming a year too soon.

“He’s still only learning, that’s only his sixth run. Next year with a good hunter chase campaign under his belt he’ll be a force to be reckoned with, I think.”

Gordon Elliott and Jordan Gainford teamed up to win division one of the Goresbridge Maiden Hurdle with 11-2 chance Abbeydale, while division two went the way of Ellmarie Holden’s 28-1 shot Karuma Grey, with 7lb claimer Diarmuid Moloney doing the steering.

The Henry de Bromhead-trained Lantry Lady dominated her rivals in the Best Of Luck To The Irish At Cheltenham Mares Maiden Hurdle – pulling 14 lengths clear in the hands of Rachael Blackmore.

Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore were among the winners
Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore were among the winners (PA)

De Bromhead and Blackmore doubled up with odds-on favourite Ain’t That A Shame in the Holden Fleet Management Beginners Chase.

Although winless in six previous starts over fences, the nine-year-old has finished second on three occasions including a head defeat in the Munster National at Limerick in October.

Making his first appearance since finishing fourth in Leopardstown’s Paddy Power Chase at Christmas, the 8-13 shot made no mistake, coming home with six lengths in hand over Macs Charm.

Blackmore said: “He deserved to win that race. It was a good performance and I couldn’t be happier with him.

“He handles those conditions and it was a perfect race for him. It’s nice to get him off the mark over fences.”

Willie and Patrick Mullins took the closing bumper with £220,000 purchase Tullyhill (4-6 favourite) in the Cheveley Park Stud colours.

“He’s a real decent horse and a horse that I’ve been trying to get out all spring,” said Mullins.

“I was hoping to qualify him for Cheltenham but he just wasn’t right and we waited.

“I think he’s championship class. We’ll look for a winners’ bumper, whether we wait for Punchestown or go for one before that.

“He’s from the top drawer and is another nice horse for Cheveley Park, I think.”

Crambo hits back of the net for O’Brien in EBF Final

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Crambo came out on top after a pulsating finish to the EBF Final at Sandown.

A dual bumper winner at Huntingdon last season, Fergal O’Brien’s charge picked up where he left off when making a successful hurdling debut at Ascot in November.

The six-year-old was pulled up in the Grade One Challow Hurdle at Newbury on New Year’s Eve, but a subsequent wind operation appeared to do the trick as he comfortably bounced back to winning ways at Bangor last month to earn himself another step up in grade in this £80,000 novices’ handicap.

Ridden positively from flag-fall by Connor Brace, Crambo disputed the early running before moving into a clear lead heading out onto the second circuit.

The 15-2 chance looked like he might have to make do with minor honours after being challenged and passed by Inneston early in the home straight, but Brace never panicked and his mount rallied bravely on the run-in to get back up and score by half a length.

O’Brien said: “Connor gets on very well with the horse and we’ve never got to the bottom of him.

“Even when the horse passed him today, we hadn’t given up as we knew he’d dig in. He did it Ascot, where he had to grind it out and won cosily in the end, and at Bangor the other day it was the same.

“I wouldn’t say he won cosily today, but he got the job done under a very good, positive ride. I’m delighted for Connor as he deserves his chance and he’s taken it today.

“I’ll have to speak to the owners and we’ll make a plan. I think the ground is important to him – he wouldn’t want it quick. There’s probably something at Aintree for him if it came up soft enough.”

Larchmont Lass and Harry Cobden at Sandown
Larchmont Lass and Harry Cobden at Sandown (Steven Paston/PA)

Larchmont Lass lunged late to secure Listed honours in the British Stallion Studs EBF Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.

Previously placed at Ascot and Wincanton, the Paul Nicholls-trained five-year-old was a 9-2 shot stepping up in class in the hands of Harry Cobden.

Casa No Mento battled bravely in front in an attempt to preserve her unbeaten record, but she was unable to resist the thrust of Larchmont Lass, with a neck separating the pair at the line.

Nicholls, like Cobden completing a double following the Imperial Cup victory of Iceo, said of Larchmont Lass: “She’s not been easy as she’s been very keen. We put a hood on her today for the first time, just to try and get her to settle, which she did.

“Turning into the straight I thought we’d given her plenty to do, but Harry felt they were always coming back to him and she got up on the line.

“She’s had three runs and she’ll go out now (for a summer break). She’ll be a lovely novice hurdler next year. A lovely summer will do her the world of good.”

Gary Moore’s Spirit D’Aunou was all out to justify odds-on favouritism in the Racing Only Bettor Podcast Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.

A narrowly beaten second on his Kempton debut, the four-year-old had since struck gold at Huntingdon and Ludlow and was the 5-6 favourite to complete his hat-trick under the trainer’s son Jamie.

Spirit D'Aunou (left) and Jamie Moore won the opening race at Sandown
Spirit D’Aunou (left) and Jamie Moore won the opening race at Sandown (Steven Paston/PA)

Havaila came at him hard racing up the hill, but Spirit D’Aunou stuck to his guns to prevail by half a length.

“He was a four-year-old carrying a lot of weight out there so it wasn’t going to be easy for him,” said Moore senior.

“I didn’t know if this horse would go in the ground or not or not, but he is a very genuine horse and I like him a lot.

“He is still a baby learning and he is going to improve with racing and time. I’d like to think he would go to Ascot in early April for that juvenile handicap hurdle there.”

The Moores doubled up with Hudson De Grugy (11-4) in the Betfair Daily Multiples Offer At Cheltenham Novices’ Handicap Chase – and made it a treble on the afternoon in the concluding Daily Tips On Betting.Betfair.com Handicap Chase with 9-1 shot Zhiguli.

Berkshire Shadow claims Wulfruna win

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Berkshire Shadow bounced back to form and set up a potential trip to Newcastle on Good Friday with a stylish success in the Spreadex Sports Lady Wulfruna Stakes at Wolverhampton.

Winner of the prestigious Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2021, he went winless last season but was not disgraced in either the 2000 Guineas or the St James’s Palace Stakes.

He never quite hit the expected heights afterwards but Andrew Balding was convinced the son of Dark Angel was returning to something like his best.

Reunited with Oisin Murphy, the now gelded Berkshire Shadow (5-2 favourite) travelled sweetly throughout and hit the front a long way from home.

Harry’s Bar and Angel Bleu gave chase in vain, but Berkshire Shadow held on by a length and a quarter, with Ralph Beckett’s Angel Bleu gaining second on the line.

“It was a very good race, Angel Bleu is a top-class horse, they’ve met before,” Murphy told Sky Sports Racing.

“It’s brilliant to get the horse back, it’s great to see him get a Listed win and hopefully he’ll build on it.

“He’s trained really well. He’s a Dark Angel so has plenty of size and scope and we always felt he wasn’t just a two-year-old. His run in the Guineas last year was fantastic so it’s great to get back to winning ways.

“I haven’t discussed anything with Andrew but perhaps he could have a run on Good Friday, the horse is in very good form. It’s great for the owner too.”

Owner Paul Spickett confirmed Good Friday and Finals Day would now be the plan, adding: “He’s been a super horse. He had a few niggles last year but Andrew said he was going well.

“He’s definitely got the ability. The Coventry would have done me in truth, if he never won another race, but he’s shown he’s still got the ability. Roll on Good Friday.

“There’s a lot of options for him now. They went quick today and when he came off the last bend he had it won.”

Iceo strikes Imperial gold for Nicholls

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Iceo provided Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden with big-race success ahead of next week’s Cheltenham Festival with an impressive display in the Betfair Imperial Cup at Sandown.

The champion trainer has not saddled a winner at the showpiece meeting since the Queen Mother Champion Chase with Politologue three years ago, but will return to the Cotswolds with high hopes for the likes Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle ace Hermes Allen and Gold Cup contender Bravemansgame.

The Ditcheat team claimed eight winners in the first nine days of March and Iceo continued the hot streak with victory in the traditional feature the weekend before the Festival.

The French recruit ran with promise in a couple of Grade Two juvenile events last season and finished second on his handicap debut at Sandown in January, his first appearance in 11 months.

The four-year-old was 5-1 for this tougher assignment and while the front-running Knickerbockerglory looked likely to prevail halfway up the home straight, Iceo reeled him in between the final two flights and was ultimately good value for the winning margin of just under four lengths.

Nicholls said: “He ran well here a couple of months ago having been off for a year with a tiny fracture on his cannon bone. We had to give him time and he needed that run. I said one race we will aim for is the Imperial Cup and pray it rains.

“The rain came for him, he stays strongly and it was the perfect ride. Today was always the plan and Chris (Giles, owner) has been backing him all week. If the ground would have been good they might have gone too quick for him. He wants a trip really.

“I thought he would finish fifth or sixth the last day and it looked like he was going to win jumping the last but he just got tired. At the stage of fitness he was there I knew there was huge improvement to come. I knew we had him right today.”

Paul Nicholls was delighted to win the Imperial Cup with Iceo
Paul Nicholls was delighted to win the Imperial Cup with Iceo (Steven Paston/PA)

Iceo is entered in the County Hurdle and the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham on Friday, but he appears unlikely to make a quick return.

“Looking at him there I’d say going to Cheltenham is unlikely as Harry said he had a hard race. We are not chasing any bonus,” Nicholls added.

“Chris would love to have a runner at Ayr so if the Scottish Champion Hurdle was testing ground we could run him there.”

Alrehb streaks to Lincoln Trial victory

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Alrehb defied a career-high mark to get the better of Unforgotten in the Spreadex Sports Lincoln Trial Handicap at Wolverhampton.

Trained by Kevin Philippart de Foy, the grey had won last time out at Southwell but had been raised 4lb for that half-length success.

The 5-1 shot looked up against it when John and Thady Gosden’s 11-4 favourite Unforgotten hit the front a furlong out in his bid for a fourth successive victory – but Alrehb had other ideas.

Delivered with a perfectly timed challenge by the red-hot Danny Muscutt, he went on to win by half a length, with last year’s winner Notre Belle Bette back in third.

Paddy Power cut the winner to 14-1 from 20s for the Lincoln at Doncaster on April 1.

Muscutt told Sky Sports Racing: “There’s always a lot of speed in this race and it was a bit messy the first 50 yards but I ended up in a lovely spot and found a really nice rhythm.

“He’s really stepped up his game since he’s gone up to the mile and Kevin has his horses in super form. He actually beat me at Southwell so it’s nice to get on him today.

“I don’t see any reason why he can’t win on turf, he’s quite a big horse to be going around these tight turns. His action suggests he should be fine on turf.

“I think it’s either the Lincoln or the Spring Cup next. I think the weather will decide where he goes.”

Dubai Station (17-2), having just his second start for Stuart Williams, won the Huge Daily Boosts Only BetUK Handicap.

Previously with Robert Cowell, Dubai Station had finished fifth over five furlongs on his stable debut and upped to six furlongs Rossa Ryan brough him home to win by half a length.

Ryan said: “I won a nice race on him at Chelmsford and he’s just gone to Stuart’s.

“The form of his last race stacked up well, he had a nice gallop to aim at and it worked out well. He’s a proper handicapper, he’ll always run well in them and the odd one will fall his way.”

Earlofthecotswolds was a brave winner for Tom Queally
Earlofthecotswolds was a brave winner for Tom Queally (Jonathan Hipkiss)

Earlofthecotswolds (6-1) gave himself the perfect preparation in defence of his All-Weather Marathon title on Finals Day at Newcastle when prevailing in a blanket finish for the SCU Selects Expert Tips At BetUK Conditions Stakes.

Tom Queally set out to make all but looked a sitting duck as Roberto Escobarr, Calling The Wind and Fleurman all closed in on him but he held them off.

It was Fleurman who got closest to Nigel Twiston-Davies’ charge, beaten a head, with a neck back to the odds-on favourite Roberto Escobarr.

“Earlofthecotswolds is a good horse with a lot of ability. They want him there for Finals Day and it is good that he got to win again,” said Queally.

“I ride a lot of Nigel’s on the Flat but I was suspended a couple of years ago and Liam Keniry took the ride. Admittedly, I am just getting used to the horse and probably did not go fast enough the last day, whereas today I did. I wanted to fill his lungs at crucial stages and that seemed to give him an edge at the end.

“Nigel only runs a few on the Flat but he has a magnificent strike rate. It would be great if they gave him a few more Flat horses.”

McCoy excited to see Constitution Hill strut his stuff

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Sir Tony McCoy sees Constitution Hill as the horse that can generate all the right headlines ahead of his bid for Champion Hurdle glory at the Cheltenham on Tuesday.

The former jump jockey, a 20-time champion, mentioned Nicky Henderson’s gelding alongside some of the great names who have graced the sport under both codes in the past.

Though Constitution Hill can not quite yet be hailed as a champion, McCoy feels he has the potential to elevate the sport to the front pages if his performance in the Champion Hurdle is as sparkling as expected.

He said: “We all see horses and sportspeople that have moments of brilliance and Frankel’s 2000 Guineas (in 2011) was one of the wow moments.

“As jump horses you have to achieve a lot to elevate yourself from the back page to the front. There have only been few jumpers that have been capable of doing that – other than Desert Orchid, Red Rum, Kauto Star and Best Mate there have not been many.

Constitution Hill winning the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at last season's Cheltenham Festival
Constitution Hill winning the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at last season’s Cheltenham Festival (Mike Egerton/PA)

“I look back at the hurdlers in recent times, Hurricane Fly is the best of the most recent ones, while Istabraq is the best one I’ve seen in my time. What Constitution Hill has done the last two times has had the wow factor about it in the ease in which he has won.

“He has beaten a good mare in Epatante a couple of times, but after the Champion Hurdle we will get a different reading as if he is able to do the same to those rivals then he might be able to get on the front page.”

The six-year-old is unbeaten under rules and has won five races, including four Grade Ones, by a combined 77 lengths having never looked remotely beatable thus far.

“There is no doubt he is a talented horse and if you picked one of the jump horses you would love to own or train he would be the pretender you would pick that could be the superstar,” McCoy added

“Hopefully, Constitution Hill can live up to his reputation and deliver that success under Nico de Boinville that we all want to see happen.”

Mullins trio head Triumph Hurdle confirmations

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Willie Mullins appears to have a stranglehold on the JCB Triumph Hurdle with the first three in the ante-post betting among 17 confirmations for the day four opener at the Cheltenham Festival.

Blood Destiny, who has recently overtaken stablemate Lossiemouth at the head of the betting, and Gala Marceau, who beat Lossiemouth at the Dublin Racing Festival, give Mullins a very strong hand in the juvenile event.

Comfort Zone, the winner of Grade Two events at Chepstow and Cheltenham already for Joseph O’Brien, and Gary Moore’s Bo Zenith were among those taken out.

Jipcot, a new recruit from France now with Ben Pauling, has been supplemented.

JP McManus’ new purchase Corbetts Cross, a Grade Two winner on his debut for Emmett Mullins, is among 34 left in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.

Gordon Elliott’s Three Card Brag, who has been taken out of the Martin Pipe later on the card, is another leading ante-post fancy, while stablemate Favori De Champdou and Willie Mullins’ Embassy Gardens all stand their ground.

Among those taken out were Absolute Notions, Maximilian and Saint Davy.

There are 52 left in the McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle, with previous Champion Hurdle contenders Zanahiyr and Sharjah heading the weights.

Betfair Hurdle one-two Aucunrisque and Filey Bay are in the mix along with Willie Mullins’ well fancied pair of Hunters Yarn and Winter Fog.

Last year’s winner Billaway and David Christie’s pair of Vaucelet and Winged Leader head 30 left in the St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase, while in the closing Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle 53 remain.

Only nine have been left in the Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase and they include market leaders Allegorie de Vassy and Impervious.