Armaturk heads 39 horses standing their ground at the confirmation stage in the John Smith’s Topham Chase at Aintree on Friday.

Monet’s Garden will face just six rivals as he bids to get his season back on track in tomorrow’s Commercial First Ascot Chase.

MONET’S GARDEN will face just six rivals as he bids to get his season back on track in Saturday’s Commercial First Ascot Chase.

MONET’S Garden features among a 15-strong entry for the Commercial First Ascot Chase at the Berkshire venue on Saturday.

Leading Ryanair Chase fancy Racing Demon is to swerve the race and instead take his chance in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Paddy Power Gold Cup winner Exotic Dancer is set to bid for a big-race double in the Boylesports.com Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday week.

CORNISH Rebel has been the subject of some significant support ahead of Saturday’s Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury.

Tony McCoy and Jonjo O’Neill thwarted an ante-post plunge on Vodka Bleu as Exotic Dancer made an emphatic return to form in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

TARANIS is holding on to his position as favourite for the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham even though the gamble on Vodka Bleu shows no signs of waning.

TIMMY MURPHY will team up with Vodka Bleu in a bid to land back-to-back victories in the Paddy Power Gold Cup after it was confirmed the seven-year-old was trainer David Pipe’s “number-one hope” in the Cheltenham feature.

Vodka Bleu is challenging Taranis for outright favouritism in the Paddy Power Gold Cup after David Pipe’s bullish appraisal of his chances.

“Faugh-A-Ballagh”

Ante-post favourite Celestial Gold heads a total of 30 horses still in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday week after the latest forfeit stage.

Monkerhostin is so well in on his form over hurdles that he has to be backed to defy his inexperience with victory in the £110,000 (€157,300) Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham tomorrow.