JERED advertised his Smurfit Champion Hurdle credentials when outpointing Cork All Star in the Grade 3 Anglo Irish Bank Hurdle at Down Royal yesterday.

Victory in the feature of the opening day of Cheltenham - the Smurfit Champion Hurdle – has gone to the Alan King trained ‘Katchit’.

NOEL MEADE’S Iktitaf, Harchibald and Jazz Messenger are all on course for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle, with the latter most likely to contest the AIG Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on January 28.

Some 5,000 Irish racing fans make an annual pilgrimage to the Cheltenham Festival in hope of teaching the home team a lesson or two.

WILLIE MULLINS will leave a decision on Hedgehunter’s participation in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup until nearer next month’s Festival.

Sadlers Wings will miss the Smurfit Champion Hurdle after aggravating an old injury.

Reigning champion hurdler Hardy Eustace is on target to run at Gowran on Saturday after pleasing connections in a warm-up gallop.

Sadlers Wings, a 25-1 shot for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle on March 14, will head straight to the Cheltenham Festival.

Al Eile is likely to go for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle without the benefit of a prep run after the abandonment of the meeting at Newbury.

Macs Joy is on course for another crack at the Smurfit Champion Hurdle after bouncing back to form at Leopardstown last time.

Napolitain and Tony McCoy just held on to take an incident-packed renewal of the Grade One totesport.com Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown.

BRAVE INCA is now clear favourite for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham following yet another superb performance in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown yesterday.

DESSIE HUGHES is in a bullish mood ahead of Hardy Eustace’s rematch with Macs Joy and Brave Inca in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown tomorrow.

Tom Mullins has ruled Ladbrokes World Hurdle candidate Asian Maze out of any possible engagements over the next few days and is now looking to give her a prep race next month.

GOLDEN CROSS will seek to enhance his growing reputation in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Tom Mullins has ruled Ladbrokes World Hurdle candidate Asian Maze out of any possible engagements over the next few days and is now looking to give her a prep race next month.

Golden Cross will seek to enhance his growing reputation in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday.

HARDY EUSTACE was reported to be in fine shape ahead of the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle on Sunday.

Feathard Lady is facing a crucial week in her race against time to be fit for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle.

AL EILE will take his chance in the Commhoist Logistics Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock today despite trainer John Queally’s concerns about the ground.

Harchibald, runner-up in the Smurfit Champion Hurdle last spring, was ruled out of a repeat bid on the day that 35 entries were announced for this year’s renewal at Cheltenham on March 14.

HARCHIBALD, runner-up in the Smurfit Champion Hurdle last spring, has been ruled out of a repeat bid on the day that 35 entries were announced for this year’s renewal on March 14.

Former Smurfit Champion Hurdle favourite Harchibald will not run again this season, trainer Noel Meade has confirmed.

COLM MURPHY hopes to know more in the next week about the prospects of his unbeaten Feathard Lady making it to Cheltenham for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle.

Colm Murphy hopes to know more in the next week about the prospects of his unbeaten Feathard Lady making it to Cheltenham for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle.

Feathard Lady, ante-post favourite for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle, has been ruled out of the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle later this month.

Harchibald is continuing to make good progress as he recovers from surgery on a leg problem.

KAUTO STAR, 7-2 favourite with the sponsors for the Victor Chandler Chase at Cheltenham, has been ruled out of the race by trainer Paul Nicholls.

NOEL MEADE believes it will be a “miracle” if Harchibald runs again this season after undergoing an operation to remove a piece of wood or birch lodged in his leg.

HARCHIBALD is odds-on with Paddy Power but odds against with Cashmans to gain his revenge on some old rivals in the bewleyshotels.com December Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown today.

Harchibald is odds-on with Paddy Power to gain his revenge on some old rivals in the bewleyshotels.com December Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown tomorrow.

Hardy Eustace is set to have his first run since his Smurfit Champion Hurdle victory in a conditions race at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve.

BARACOUDA will miss the totesport Long Walk Hurdle at Windsor on Saturday after an administrative error at Francois Doumen's yard ruled the French ace out of this weekend's showpiece.

Mephisto appears almost certain to miss the Smurfit Champion Hurdle after trainer Howard Johnson decided to give his charge some time off.

BEST MATE’S ashes will be laid to rest behind the winning post at Cheltenham prior to racing there on Saturday week.

Faasel is set to continue his build-up to a possible Smurfit Champion Hurdle bid with an outing at Cheltenham on Saturday week.

Hardy Eustace may make his seasonal debut in the Commhoist Logistics Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock in January.

NICKY RICHARDS will rely on stable stalwart The French Furze in Saturday’s Pertemps ‘Fighting Fifth’ Hurdle at Newcastle.

Brave Inca made a winning reappearance in an eventful renewal of the Grade Two Maplewood Developments Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown.

Brave Inca and Harchibald are set to clash in a mouth-watering renewal of the Maple Development Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown on Sunday.

Lingo emerged as a potential Smurfit Champion Hurdle contender after making a brilliant return to the racecourse on the final day of the Open meeting at Cheltenham.

STAR apprentices Chris Hayes and Rory Cleary scooped big pots at Naas yesterday, recording victories on Taqseem and Essex respectively.

Prize money at Cheltenham for the 2005-06 season will stand at a record £4.82m (€7.14m) – with £2.87m (€4.25m) spread over the four days of the festival.

CONNECTIONS of Brave Inca have abandoned plans to go chasing with the Champion Hurdle third and will plot another campaign over timber.

Accordion Etoile, who finished fourth in last season’s Smurfit Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, is poised to begin a new career over the fences.

Penzance is likely to begin his second season over hurdles in a limited handicap before tackling stronger opposition in open company.

LEADING Irish trainers will be able to judge conditions at Punchestown for themselves today when they go on the annual course walk ahead of next week’s four-day Festival.

CHELTENHAM Gold Cup hero Kicking King is one of a clutch of big names among the possible runners at this month’s Punchestown Festival after entries for nine of the 10 Grade One races were revealed yesterday.