Nicky Henderson will do all he can to get Altior to the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase after revealing the brilliant two-miler was found to be lame on Sunday morning.

Nicky Henderson is relieved to have finally got Altior’s season up and running – and “all is going well” for his bid to emulate Badsworth Boy in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Paul Nicholls is confident Britain’s highest-rated jumper Cyrname can lift the pressure on his shoulders by striking gold in the Betfair Ascot Chase for the second year in succession.

Not at his best, perhaps, but Altior is without defeat in 18 consecutive outings in the national hunt sphere and a world-record 13 times over fences.

The first victory of day two of this year’s Cheltenham Festival came early. Very early.

The Gordon Elliott-trained Battleoverdoyen gets the nap to retain his unbeaten record in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Provided it gets the go-ahead, day two of Cheltenham will see two three-time heroes go in search of a fourth Festival success and it’ll rank as a massive surprise if Altior and Tiger Roll fail to oblige.

Altior will face eight rivals when he attempts to win back-to-back renewals of the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham tomorrow.

With 900 accredited journalists, 350 chefs, 250 bookmakers and 100 helicopter flights a day, it is little wonder that the famous annual Cheltenham Festival which gets under way tomorrow can claim to be the biggest jump meeting in the world.

The hype that surrounds Presenting Percy should ensure Monalee goes off a tasty price in today’s RSA Insurance Novices’ Chase and Henry De Bromhead’s charge is fancied to do the business in a race that historically separates the men from the boys.

Henry De Bromhead’s Monalee can lead his rivals a merry dance in the RSA Insurance Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham this afternoon.

"Altior was unfortunately lame this morning in his near-fore leg."

The Willie Mullins-trained stars are expected to feature in the Champion Chase and Champion Hurdle respectively.

Nicky Henderson has revealed he has a secret plan for Might Bite in the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday week.

Douvan is “not far away” from returning to action after being entered in the Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park on Saturday.

Cheltenham this afternoon is an absolute minefield and punters would do well to proceed with extreme caution.

Gordon Elliott has given No More Heroes a perfect preparation and the imposing seven-year- old is fancied to land the RSA Chase at Cheltenham today.

Paul Nicholls has warned punters not to leave Saphir Du Rheu out of calculations for the Ryanair World Hurdle at Cheltenham next month.

Colin Tizzard last night revealed Ladbrokes World Hurdle favourite Thistlecrack will aimed at the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup next year.

Barry Geraghty expects to find out on Tuesday if the Punchestown Festival is a realistic target for his comeback from a broken leg.

Paul Nicholls may no longer possess the firepower he once dominated the Cheltenham Festival, and entire British national hunt season.

This afternoon’s Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase could hardly be more puzzling for punters, the essential difficulty not in reading the form, but gauging/guessing the well-being of the market leaders, Sprinter Sacre and Sire De Grugy.

Gigginstown House Stud have begun finalising running plans for next week’s Cheltenham Festival and have confirmed crack novice Don Poli (pictured) an intended runner in Wednesday’s RSA Chase.

Sire De Grugy is set to have a second prep run for the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at Chepstow tomorrow.

Champagne Fever got back on track with a smooth victory in the Red Mills Chase at Gowran on Saturday.

John ’Shark’ Hanlon is looking forward to Hidden Cyclone taking on the best two-milers around in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham.

Gordon Elliott will consider letting stable star Don Cossack turn out for next week’s Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles.

Davy Russell and Philip Enright are free to ride at the big Christmas festivals after the five-day bans they received for the ’whip borrowing’ incident at Clonmel on December 7 were reduced to two days on appeal.