The Nicky Henderson-trained Shishkin outstayed the Gordon Elliott-trained Abacadabras up the famous hill to win a dramatic running of the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle at odds of 6-1.

Altior has been ruled out of the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham on Wednesday.

Altior remains in the running to defend his crown in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham on Wednesday.

History has proven the Festival to be a ruthless environment where only the toughest, most talented survive. This week will be no different. Some hotpots will enhance already lofty reputations while, for others, the bubble will burst. As ever, the challenge is what to trust and what to oppose, writes Darren Norris makes his picks.

The Festival has a long and storied history of producing compelling duels and, with the 2020 renewal rich in promise, Darren Norris picks six battles not to miss.

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.

Seriously, is there any chance we could have a little break, after today, from two horses, Tiger Roll and Altior?

What did we really expect leaving Cheltenham last year? When we looked at all the results, how did we think, 12 months down the line, those winners would fair back at the Festival?

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.

NOTHING for it this week then, with Storm Ciara messing us about big-time, but to look ahead to the Cheltenham Festival in an effort to pinpoint some value.

Reigning champion Al Boum Photo is one of 20 horses still in contention for the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup following the latest scratchings deadline for the six non-novice Grade Ones at next month’s Festival.

Had events unfolded the way Nicky Henderson hoped at the start of the season Altior would not be running in the Grade Two Win Bigger On The Betfair Exchange Chase at Newbury this afternoon.

Last week was the start of the new race times – there were a good few of them in the UK - and I think, for people who were viewing racing on the whole, it was a better experience.

Darren Norris selects eight takeaways from the Dublin Racing Festival with a view towards Cheltenham.

When it came, the explanation made perfect sense. “Altior doesn’t look like Altior,” Nicky Henderson said as he explained his decision to rule his stablestar out of the Grade Two Unibet Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton on Saturday, a race which was set to be his first start since surrendering his 19-race unbeaten record over obstacles when beaten by Cyrname in the Christy 1965 Chase at Ascot in November.

With the Christmas festival blitz in the rearview mirror, the focus now turns to a new decade and 2020 promises plenty. Here Darren Norris highlights 10 dates not to be missed

Paul Nicholls is not putting any pressure on stable jockey Harry Cobden, as decision day over his Ladbrokes King George VI Chase mount looms — with either Sam Twiston-Davies or Sean Bowen likely to pick up a cracking spare ride.

Kevin Doyle says he's busier now breeding horses on the family farm in Wexford than he ever was playing football.

Former Ireland striker Kevin Doyle flashed the cash at Tattersalls today, shelling out €155,000 to buy a half-brother to winning machine Altior.

Corky Browne left Carrigtwohill for a life in racing, working with legendary trainer Fred Winter, in England, before forging a glorious partnership with five-time champion trainer Nicky Henderson. Browne announced his retirement, at 77, last week, ending a 62-year association with the sport.

After 24 very good years, yesterday I bowed out after winning the Punchestown Gold Cup on Kemboy.

There is a great card to get the 2019 Punchestown festival underway and Delta Work can ensure a good start to a long week for punters by taking the Grade 1 Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase.

This weekend’s national hunt action takes place tomorrow and Willie has five runners to look forward to. He starts with Breaken, a recruit from France, where he ran on the flat three times and once over hurdles.

One of the principle reasons that National Hunt racing is more popular than the flat is that you build relationships with horses that can sustain for years and this was proved again and again this week.

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

Was it a good day or a bad day at Cheltenham?

After the conspicuous lack of success on Day One I’m twitchy.

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 Sun Racing Stayers’ Hurdle is today’s feature race and Paisley Park can crown a flawless campaign by landing the spoils for trainer Emma Lavelle and jockey Aidan Coleman.

Oh, the up and downs, the highs and lows of national hunt racing. Yesterday had it all for me. It was amazing to win the first race on Klassical Dream and to watch Duc Des Genievres win the second – it was clear the horses were in great order.

With the rain that fell yesterday afternoon and all that is expected today, Sams Profile can reverse recent form over Battleoverdoyen when they renew rivalry in the Grade 1 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle, the opening race on day two of the Cheltenham Festival.

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

Can Altior be beaten?

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.

He’s a winning machine on the brink of equalling a modern-day winning sequence — so why has three-time Cheltenham Festival winner Altior yet to fully capture the public imagination?

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

For years the hardest place in the world to tip a winner was Cheltenham. For years the hardest place in the world to back a winner was Cheltenham.

Un De Sceaux could head to Newbury, Leopardstown, or step back up in trip for the Ascot Chase after Willie Mullins sidestepped an outing this weekend on account of the ground.

With the National Hunt campaign approaching its halfway stage, Colm Greaves assesses the current state of play

The New One could sign off a glittering career in the Unibet International Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday.

Some say Samcro disappointed at Down Royal, where he was picked off by the fitter Bedrock (Rachael Blackmore), but Kennedy won’t be hanging around today, writes Ruby Walsh

While most Irish eyes will be on the jumps finale at Punchestown today, this afternoon also sees this season’s British National Hunt campaign draw to a close at Sandown.

The finale to the National Hunt season could hardly start on a better note, with three fantastic Grade Ones on the seven-race card on the first day of the Punchestown Festival.

A week and a season that was far from ideal for Altior turned around dramatically when he extended his perfect record over obstacles to 14 with a brilliant display in the Betway Champion Chase.