NICKY HENDERSON welcomed the rain which has maintained cut in the ground at Cheltenham as he put the finishing touches on a 24-strong team for next week’s Festival.

Dessie Hughes is pondering his Cheltenham options for Central House after the two-mile star sauntered to victory in the Paddy & Helen Cox Memorial Newlands Chase at Naas yesterday.

Tony Martin hopes the Davids Lad case will go in his favour in the Dublin High Court today after landing a gamble with Xenophon in the Coral Cup on the second day of the Cheltenham Festival.