Willie Mullins is hopeful that Blackstairmountain, and impressive winner at Punchestown in January, can give Dunguib a race in the Spinal Research Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

Mullins told At The Races: "He has lots of gears and while he's a bit inexperienced over hurdles he's not inexperienced as a racehorse as he's run in five bumpers and twice on the Flat. I've had him away schooling a couple of times and he hasn't put a foot wrong. I know it will be a fast-and-furious race and we are taking a bit of a chance, but we have to do that. If my fellow jumps well enough I think he has a great chance."

THE DAVID NICHOLSON MARES’ HURDLE

Class 1, Grade 2, £90,000 Total prize fund, 4.40pm, Tuesday, March 16, 2010. Two miles and four furlongs. For four-year-olds and upwards, Fillies and Mares only.

THE CHRISTIE’S FOXHUNTER CHASE CHALLENGE CUP

Class 2, Total Prize Fund £40,000. 4.00pm, Friday, March 19, 2010, three miles and two and a half furlongs.

Entries closed March 2
Entries revealed March 3 (49 entries)

THE WEATHERBYS CHAMPION BUMPER

Grade 1, Class 1, Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race, 5.15pm, Wednesday, March 17, 2010, total prize fund £60,000, two miles and half a furlong, for four, five and six-year-olds only which have not run under any recognised Rules of Racing, except National Hunt Flat races, Irish National Hunt Flat races or French AQPS races.

Trainer Nicky Henderson on Monday described his star novice chasers Long Run and Punchestowns as the best horses he has handled in a training career spanning nearly 32 years.

The duo are set to lock horns in the RSA Chase at Cheltenham on Wednesday, March 17, with stable jockey Barry Geraghty partnering Punchestowns and amateur Sam Waley-Cohen due to ride Long Run, who is owned by the rider’s father Robert.

“Long Run and Punchestowns are two horses that could go the whole way. They’re quite special,” said Henderson. “They are the best that I’ve had and my duty is to keep them in one piece to get where they need to be in two years (for the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup). Luckily there is no clash with jockeys.”

THE JOHNNY HENDERSON GRAND ANNUAL CHASE CHALLENGE CUP
(HANDICAP)

Class 1, Grade 3 Race, £80,000 Total Prize Fund. Cheltenham, 5.15pm, Friday, March 19, 2010, two miles and about half a furlong. For five-year-old and upwards.

MARTIN PIPE CONDITIONAL JOCKEYS’ HANDICAP HURDLE

Class 2, £50,000 Total Prize Fund. Cheltenham, 4.40pm, Friday, March 19 2009, two miles and about four and a half furlongs. For four-year-olds and upwards rated 0-140.

THE VINCENT O’BRIEN COUNTY HANDICAP HURDLE

Class 1, Grade 3 Race £75,000 Total Prize Fund. Cheltenham, 2.05pm, Friday, March 19 2010, two miles and about one furlong. For five-year-olds and upwards.

FULKE WALWYN KIM MUIR CHALLENGE CUP HANDICAP CHASE (AMATEUR RIDERS)

Class 2, £55,000 Total Prize Fund. Cheltenham, 4.40pm, Thursday, March 18, 2010, three miles and about one and a half furlongs. For five-year-olds and upwards rated 0-140. Amateur riders.

BYRNE GROUP PLATE HANDICAP CHASE

Class 1, Grade 3, £80,000 Total Prize Fund. 4pm, Thursday, March 18, 2010, two miles and five furlongs. For five-year-olds and upwards.

Form Horse Age Owner Trainer

THE PERTEMPS FINAL (HANDICAP HURDLE)

Class 1, Listed Race, £75,000 Total Prize Fund. Cheltenham, 2.05pm, Thursday, March 18, 2010, about three miles. For five-year-olds and upwards.

Form Horse Age Owner Trainer

THE JEWSON NOVICES’ HANDICAP CHASE

Class 1, Listed Race, £80,000 Total Prize Fund Cheltenham, 1.30pm, Thursday, March 18, 2010, two miles and about five furlongs. For novice fiveyear-olds and upwards.

THE FRED WINTER JUVENILE NOVICES’ HANDICAP HURDLE

Class 1, Listed Race, £75,000 Total Prize Fund. Cheltenham, 4.40pm, Wednesday, March 17, 2010, two miles and about half a furlong. For novice four-year-olds only.

THE CORAL CUP (HANDICAP HURDLE)

Class 1, Grade 3 Race, £75,000 Total Prize Fund. Cheltenham, 4.00pm, Wednesday, March 17, 2010, two miles and about five furlongs. For four-year-olds and upwards.

THE GLENFARCLAS HANDICAP CHASE (A CROSS COUNTRY STEEPLECHASE)

Class 2, £45,000 Total Prize Fund. Cheltenham, 4pm, Tuesday, March 16, 2010, three miles and about seven furlongs. For five-year-olds & upwards.

THE WILLIAM HILL TROPHY HANDICAP CHASE

Class 1, Grade 3 Race, £80,000 Total Prize Fund. Cheltenham, 2.40pm, Tuesday, March 16, 2010, three miles and half a furlong. For five-year-olds & upwards.

Aon Chase faller Denman won't be wearing blinkers in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, with trainer Paul Nicholls telling The Times: "I know people say we did it with See More Business when he won the Gold Cup but he'd been jumping badly and had just become naughty.

"Denman made a mistake last week but he's generally a brilliant jumper. We'll consider a sheepskin noseband but nothing more."

Former Gold Cup winner War Of Attrition could run in the World Hurdle in addition to the Grand National, which was his sole intended target this spring, after making all to win the Boyne Hurdle at Navan on Sunday.

Trainer Mouse Morris said: "That was a good performance and we'll see how he comes out of this before making a decision on his next race. It's his last season and I wouldn't have thought that win will affect his National weight.

"The World Hurdle looks a bit of a one-horse race and the favourite is a bit like us in the way that he lost his way over fences. We'll leave all options open, though. That was not his ideal trip, but he showed his class. He might even run in both, why not?"

Sunday's Hennessy Gold Cup winner Joncol is only 50-50 to run at the Cheltenham Festival, and would have the Ryanair Chase rather than the Gold Cup as his target, with trainer Paul Nolan saying: "Cheltenham is at the back of my mind and he is only 50-50 to run there. If he does go it will be for the Ryanair and I have no regrets not entering him for the Gold Cup with Kauto Star and Denman being in there. If the ground stays right I'd love to run him in the Guinness Gold Cup at Punchestown."

THE ALBERT BARTLETT NOVICES’ HURDLE

Class 1, Grade 1, Total Prize Fund £100,000, 2.40pm Friday, March 19, 2010, three miles, for novice four-year-olds and upwards.

Entries closed Tuesday, February 2

THE JCB TRIUMPH HURDLE

Class 1, Grade 1, Total Prize Fund £100,000. 1.30pm, Cheltenham, Friday, March 19, 2010. Two miles, one furlong. For novice four-year-olds only.

Entries closed Tuesday, February 2

THE NEPTUNE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT NOVICES’ HURDLE

Class 1, Grade 1, Total Prize Fund £100,000, 2.05pm, Cheltenham, Wednesday, March 17, 2010. Two miles and five furlongs. For novice four-year-olds and upwards.

THE SPINAL RESEARCH SUPREME NOVICES’ HURDLE

Class 1, Grade 1, Total Prize Fund £100,000, 1.30pm Tuesday, March 16, 2010, two miles and about half a furlong, for novice four-year-olds and upwards.

Big Zeb has been cut to 5-1 for the Champion Chase after his dominant win in the Grade Two Punchestown Pavilion Tied Cottage Chase on Sunday. A delighted Colm Murphy said after the race: "I'm delighted with that performance. He's had his problems in the past but I think we've ironed them out now. We'll freshen him up and then it's on to Cheltenham, it's nice to be going over there on the back of that."

THE 140TH YEAR OF THE NATIONAL HUNT STEEPLECHASE CHALLENGE CUP (AMATEUR RIDERS’ NOVICES’ STEEPLECHASE)

Class 2, £75,000 Total Prize Fund, 1.30pm, Wednesday, March 17, 2010. Four miles.