Altior remains in the running to defend his crown in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham on Wednesday.

NOTHING for it this week then, with Storm Ciara messing us about big-time, but to look ahead to the Cheltenham Festival in an effort to pinpoint some value.

Reigning champion Al Boum Photo is one of 20 horses still in contention for the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup following the latest scratchings deadline for the six non-novice Grade Ones at next month’s Festival.

Stay on the good side of these 10 chasers in the months ahead.

Declan Lavery has had his 10-day riding ban quashed following an appeal heard by an independent disciplinary panel at the headquarters of the British Horseracing Authority on Thursday.

Connections of Defi Du Seuil remain in no rush to map out a second-half-of-the-campaign programme for last season’s champion juvenile hurdler.

To say Paul Carberry has had a colourful career is a massive understatement.

Michael Scudamore is hoping the better spring conditions will help Next Sensation stay the longer trip of the Teenage Cancer Trust Silver Trophy Chase at Cheltenham today.

The Crabbie’s Grand National meeting could start with a bang as the imperious Douvan is among 18 entries in the Merseryrail Manifesto Novices’ Chase next Thursday.

For Good Measure looks a live contender for a typically wide-open renewal of the Close Brothers Imperial Cup at Sandown tomorrow.

It appears increasingly likely that Crabbie’s Grand National winner Many Clouds may attempt to do the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup-Aintree double after his intended prep race was scuppered by the weather at Kelso on Saturday.

Neil King has all but ruled Lil Rockerfeller out of appearing in the Coral Cup after stressing the weight he would have to carry would leave him with an almost impossible task.

Home Of The Brave has been stripped of his victory in the Minstrel Stakes at the Curragh in July after testing positive for a prohibited substance.

Philip Hobbs may work backwards from the Scottish Grand National with Sausalito Sunrise after revealing he is likely to swerve the Welsh equivalent.

In-form trainer Harry Fry sees Jolly’s Cracked It’s “love of Ascot” as a major positive ahead of his return to the track for the Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle today.

Balthazar King is more likely to run in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival than the Crabbie’s Grand National after he made a welcome return to Philip Hobbs’ yard yesterday.

Alan King believes Paddy Power Gold Cup hero Annacotty is in even better shape than he was last month as he aims to secure a notable double in Saturday’s Caspian Caviar Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

Special Tiara’s owner Sally Rowley-Williams will wait until later in the week before deciding whether to appeal the result of Saturday’s Tingle Creek at Sandown.

Vroum Vroum Mag could put her unbeaten six-race record for Willie Mullins on the line at Huntingdon on Sunday after she featured amongst 13 entries for the Betfred Peterborough Chase.

Paul Nicholls believes Hennessy Gold Cup favourite Saphir Du Rheu can defy the burden of top weight at Newbury today.

Paul Nicholls expects Silviniaco Conti to be primed for action as he shoots for a third success in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on Saturday.

Paul Nicholls expects Silviniaco Conti to be primed for action as he shoots for a third success in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on Saturday.

David Pipe is targeting the Bibby Financial Services Ireland Punchestown Gold Cup with Ballynagour following his tremendous effort in defeat at Aintree last week.

Philip Hobbs reports Balthazar King to be making “steady progress” as he recovers from his fall in the Crabbie’s Grand National.

Tony McCoy will ride Cantlow for his boss JP McManus in the BoyleSports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Monday.

One of the biggest racing crowds of the year is expected to be boosted next weekend by confirmation that the Fairyhouse Grand National meeting will be AP McCoy’s last Irish engagement before his retirement.

Crystal Pearl should be capable of giving Charles Byrnes his first success of 2015 in the opener on Cork’s Red FM Student Race Day at Cork racecourse in Mallow today.

Irish trainer Paul Stafford kept up his fine run of form at Hexham as Better B Quick rewarded favourite-backers in the SIS Handicap Chase.

 

Grand Jesture and Gallant Oscar, second and third respectively behind The Druids Nephew at Cheltenham last week, have been installed as 10-1 joint-favourites with the sponsors for the €275,000 BoyleSports Irish Grand National after the weights were announced for the Fairyhouse feature on April 6.

Owner Rich Ricci believes Vautour may have been underestimated ahead of today’s JLT Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham.

Philip Hobbs identified Big Easy and Duke Of Lucca as two of his big chances at the Cheltenham Festival next week.

David Pipe believes unbeaten novice chaser Kings Palace is his “best hope of a festival winner” when he lines up in the RSA Chase at Cheltenham next month.

Racing royalty mixes with the real thing today as Tony McCoy rides Monbeg Dude for the first time in Haydock’s Betfred Grand National Trial.