Cheltenham countdown - news digest

Hurdling feast on offer at Cheltenham on Saturday

J P McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry today confirmed that Ladbrokes World Hurdle hopeful Wichita Lineman is on target for a crack at the Byrne Group Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday.

The Jonjo O’Neill-trained gelding won the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle on this card 12 months ago before going on to land the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at The Festival in March.

This season, the seven-year-old finished fourth to Hardy Eustace on his seasonal debut at Ascot in November before coming the eight-length second at Prestbury Park to Blazing Bailey in the Steel Plate & Sections Hurdle on New Year’s Day.

Berry revealed today: "The plan is to go to Cheltenham on Saturday and Wichita Lineman in good form ahead of the race.

"Jonjo is very pleased with him at home. He came out of his run on New Year’s Day well and the probable soft ground shouldn’t inconvenience him.

"We’ll get Saturday out of the way first, but I’m sure that he’ll go straight to The Festival for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle."

Others among the entries for Saturday’s race include Irish pair Kazal and Sonnyanjoe, plus Chief Dan George and Lough Derg, successful on his last two outings at Ascot in Grade One and Grade Two company. Francois Doumen has entered Millenium Royal, while Emma Lavelle has this race as an option for Labelthou, successful in a Grade Two contest at Ascot on Saturday.

The Grade Two Wragge & Co Finesse Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle is a fantastic pointer to the Grade One JCB Triumph Hurdle at The Festival and the Alan King-trained Katchit won both races in 2007.

The two mile, one furlong race has attracted 16 entries including the King-trained Franchoek who is set to seek revenge on the Gordon Elliott-trained Harper Valley, the latter having proved a length an a half too good in the Boylesports.com Best Odds Juvenile Hurdle at Cheltenham on December 15.

The Grade Two Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle was won last year by Wichita Lineman who subsequently triumphed in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at The Festival. The third that day, Massini’s Maguire, won the Grade One Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle at the 2007 Festival.

This year’s contest has attracted 26 entries including the Nicky Henderson-trained Aigle D’Or, a classy Flat performer in France who easily won his sole start over hurdles at Lingfield on 4 January.