Sponsors totesport make Kauto Star their even-money favourite to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup for the second successive year following the confirmation stage for the great race on Friday.

Irish hopes for Cheltenham have suffered another major blow with the news that Macs Joy is out of the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle after pulling a muscle.

STAR De Mohasion brightened up a gloomy afternoon at Sandown for champion trainer Paul Nicholls when landing the John Smith’s Future Stars Chase.

St Patrick’s Day celebrations started in style at Cheltenham when Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary saw his horse, War of Attrition, land steeplechasing’s championship event, the £400,000 Totesport Gold Cup.

WAR OF ATTRITION will run in Friday's Totesport Gold Cup at Cheltenham, in preference to the Ryanair Chase on Thursday.

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.

Ruby Walsh made a smooth return to riding action at Warwick as Eurotrek landed a gamble in the feature totesport Classic Chase.

Iris’s Gift is reported to be in “great form” despite falling in a schooling session after racing at Haydock yesterday.

All roads now lead to Cheltenham for Kicking King after he bounced back to his brilliant best to record back-to-back victories in the Stan James King George VI Chase at Sandown.

KICKING KING brought a seasonal smile to his supporters when holding the late push of Monkerhostin and landing his second Stan James King George VI Chase at Sandown Park yesterday.

Totesport have announced they will sponsor the Cheltenham Gold Cup for four more years, up to and including the 2009 running.

The participation of Grey Abbey in the totesport Gold Cup on Friday remains in the balance, despite the front-running grey being one of 16 declared for the blue riband today.

Paul Nicholls has insisted that lack of race-fitness will not be used as an excuse when Strong Flow lines up in next week’s totesport Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

JESSICA HARRINGTON has moved to scotch rumours that Macs Joy has suffered a setback and will miss the Smurfit Champion Hurdle.

Howard Johnson revealed yesterday that totesport Gold Cup hope Grey Abbey has met with a setback with the blue riband just over four weeks away.

CONNECTIONS of Strong Flow have again warned that the leading Cheltenham Gold Cup candidate will not be in peak condition when he makes his long-awaited racecourse return at Warwick today.

STAR performers such as Hardy Eustace, Harbour Pilot and Moscow Flyer are likely to be attracted by record prize money of €1.7m at the four-day Punchestown Festival next month.

Terry Biddlecombe braved driving rain and a lashing wind to complete his annual pre-Cheltenham course walk yesterday – and left content that conditions could be ideal for Best Mate in the totesport Gold Cup.