Owner Rich Ricci believes Faugheen represents his best chance of winning one of the championship events at the Cheltenham Festival ahead of his bid for glory in today’s Stan James Champion Hurdle.

The New One’s Stan James Champion Hurdle preparations neared completion yesterday with a satisfactory schooling session.

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

Roi Des Francs gave Willie Mullins a third successive win (and a fourth in five years) in the Grade 3 Surehaul Mercedes Benz Novice Hurdle in Clonmel yesterday, the centrepiece of another treble for the champion trainer.

Gordon Elliott reports Don Cossack to be “bouncing” ahead of his bid to cap a fantastic season in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham next month.

Willie Mullins has left Un De Sceaux in the Stan James Champion Hurdle alongside Hurricane Fly.

Willie Mullins has sounded a cautious note about a potential Stan James Champion Hurdle bid for the exciting Un De Sceaux.

Dunguib is on course to have his second comeback run this weekend at either Gowran Park or Navan, meaning he could clash with Champion Hurdle dark horse Un De Sceaux.

Willie Mullins’ Zaidpour gets the nod to land the Grade 2 Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park this afternoon.

Rebel Fitz could run in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran next month before a possible assault at the Stan James Champion Hurdle.

Jessica Harrington has all but ruled out a tilt at the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Bostons Angel following another disappointing run at Leopardstown.

PHILIP FENTON is expecting Dunguib to improve enormously for his first run of the campaign at Gowran Park on Saturday.

Dunguib booked his ticket for the Stan James Champion Hurdle with victory on his reappearance in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran.

Dunguib made a victorious seasonal bow as he proved the best of the three runners in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran this afternoon.

TRAINER Philip Fenton has revealed he might give Dunguib an entry in the Coral Cup as an alternative to the Stan James Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

IT may be the height of folly to nap a horse who finished a remote seventh of seven finishers last time, but that’s precisely what we are going to do with J’y Vole in the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park this afternoon.

Solwhit could lie in wait for the potential Champion Hurdle runners who continue their season on to Punchestown.

GLENFINN CAPTAIN can get us off to the ideal start for the weekend by landing the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park this afternoon.

Won In The Dark is unlikely to take up his entry in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran on Sunday.

De Valira is to be given an opportunity to book his ticket for Cheltenham in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park on February 16.

BARRY GERAGHTY, at Anfield last night to watch Liverpool play Barcelona in the Champions’ League, confesses to being “puzzled” by Macs Joy’s shock defeat to Newmill in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park last month.

JOHN MURPHY has moved to reassure punters reigning Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Newmill’s entry in the Champion Hurdle is just a precaution.

John Murphy has moved to reassure punters reigning Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Newmill’s entry in the Champion Hurdle is just a precaution.

NEWMILL has been given a clean bill of health after his exploits at Gowran Park on Saturday.

Newmill has been given a clean bill of health after his exploits at Gowran Park on Saturday.

THE defection of Hardy Eustace has robbed this afternoon’s Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park of much of its interest.

Dual Champion Hurdle winner Hardy Eustace is a notable absentee in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran on Saturday.

HARCHIBALD pleased trainer Noel Meade in a workout at Navan yesterday but a decision on whether he returns to action the the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran on Saturday will not be made until later in the week.

ASIAN MAZE, Harchibald, Hardy Eustace and Macs Joy could clash at Gowran Park on Saturday in a high-class renewal of the Red Mills Trial Hurdle.

Asian Maze, Harchibald, Hardy Eustace and Macs Joy could clash at Gowran Park on Saturday in a high-class renewal of the Red Mills Trial Hurdle.

Harchibald will not run against Detroit City and Straw Bear in the Agfa UK Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday.

JAZZ MESSENGER and Iktitaf have both returned sound from their assault on Sunday’s AIG Europe Champion Hurdle but Noel Meade feels the latter might have been compromised by an infection.

ASIAN MAZE is unlikely to run in next week’s Ladbrokes World Hurdle - with trainer Tom Mullins eyeing a crack at the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle instead.

Macs Joy boosted his Smurfit Champion Hurdle claims with a smooth victory in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park.

MACS JOY puts his Champion Hurdle credentials on the line in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park today.

IT seems unlikely that dual Champion Hurdler Hardy Eustace will run in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park tomorrow, writes Pat Keane.

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

The Jessica Harrington-trained Macs Joy has been backed without exclusion for the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park on Saturday.

PROLIFIC mare Solerina is not expected to run again this season as connections mull over the prospect of covering her in the spring.

HARDY EUSTACE’S blood was found to be wrong following his poor display in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown.

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.

Hardy Eustace is the new 3-1 favourite with totesport for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle.