Sublimity and Harchibald are among 10 possibles for the wbx.com "Fighting Fifth" Hurdle at Newcastle on Saturday.

Snap Tie has been handed top weight for the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham on Sunday week following his impressive seasonal bow.

Arcalis, for whom Howard Johnson had high hopes in the novice chase ranks this winter, has been ruled out for the season by the County Durham handler.

Jonjo O’Neill, Tony McCoy and owner JP McManus captured Aintree’s Bonusprint.com Digital Photo Prints Liverpool Echo EBF “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle for a second consecutive year.

Connections of New Seeker are keeping an eye on the ground and the opposition before choosing from two engagements in the next week.

TONY McCOY is hoping to expose any chinks in the armour of Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle favourite Detroit City in the Agfa UK Hurdle at Sandown this afternoon.

Al Eile will not defend his crown in the bonusprint.com Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock on Saturday.

ROBERT TYNER is optimistic that Spring The Que can jump into the reckoning for Sunday’s Pierse Hurdle at Leopardstown.

No additional entries have been received for Saturday’s boylesports.com International after the race was reopened.

SWEET WAKE is a short-priced favourite to give trainer Noel Meade a second victory in the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham today.

ALL the leading fancies have stood their ground for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle and appear among a total of 19 possibles for the big race on Tuesday.

All the leading fancies have stood their ground for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle and appear among a total of 19 possibles for the big race on Tuesday.

LADBROKES World Hurdle hero Inglis Drever is recovering well after his season-ending injury and should be back on the track next term, according to owner Graham Wylie.

Graham Wylie is hoping lightning can strike twice in his bid for more Cheltenham Festival honours.

Dual Smurfit Champion Hurdle winner Hardy Eustace is down to 5-2 with totesport for a third success in the Cheltenham event after fellow Irish raider Feathard Lady was finally ruled out.

There were joyous scenes in the winner’s enclosure after Al Eile’s victory in the Commhoist Logistics Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock, the highlight of a Timmy Murphy 98-1 four-timer.

AL EILE will take his chance in the Commhoist Logistics Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock today despite trainer John Queally’s concerns about the ground.

Arcalis will put his Cheltenham Festival credentials on the line when he turns out in the Grade Two Commhoist Logistics Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock on Saturday.

TRAINER Christy Roche has ruled No Where To Hyde out of the totesport Trophy at Newbury as he feels the horse has been harshly treated by the handicapper.

Arcalis, impressive winner of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham last March, is far from certain to take his chance in the Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock on Saturday.

Arcalis, winner of the Pertemps “Fighting Fifth” Hurdle in November, is one of nine entries in the Commhoist Logistics Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock on Saturday.

HARCHIBALD, runner-up in the Smurfit Champion Hurdle last spring, has been ruled out of a repeat bid on the day that 35 entries were announced for this year’s renewal on March 14.

THE lunacy of long-range ante-post betting for punters on National Hunt racing was surely never better illustrated than by the problems of Kicking King, Harchibald and Inglis Drever over the last few days.

NOEL MEADE believes it will be a “miracle” if Harchibald runs again this season after undergoing an operation to remove a piece of wood or birch lodged in his leg.

IF ever a horse was aptly named it is surely Brave Inca.

Mephisto appears almost certain to miss the Smurfit Champion Hurdle after trainer Howard Johnson decided to give his charge some time off.

Arcalis made an impressive seasonal reappearance to win the Grade One Pertemps ‘Fighting Fifth’ Hurdle at Newcastle.

TONY MCCOY hasn't enjoyed the best of luck journeying across the Irish Sea to ride for J P McManus so far this season, but his fortunes can take a turn for the better at Punchestown today.

Justified bounced back from a disappointing run at the Cheltenham Festival with victory in the Menolly Homes Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse today.

Declan Colley, Cheltenham

WAR OF ATTRITION, for many the banker of the meeting for the visitors, was sunk without trace in the Irish Independent Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham yesterday.

IT IS SAID that the best method of asserting an opinion is to put your money where your mouth is.

Arcalis, trained by Howard Johnson and ridden by Graham Lee, won the opening Letheby & Christopher Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival today.

IRISH raider Harchibald is an odds-on shot to make it two Grade Ones win on the bounce in the Stan James Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day.

HARCHIBALD, ante-post favourite for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle, secured his passage to Kempton for the Stan James Christmas Hurdle by delighting Noel Meade in a gallop yesterday morning.

Arcalis looks set to step up in class for the Stan James Christmas Hurdle at Kempton at Boxing Day rather than run in the novice event on the same card.

Baracouda was the major star on show at the weekend and he did not disappoint his legion of fans with a battling display to win a thrilling Long Walk Hurdle at Windsor.

Trainer Howard Johnson has been outlining plans for his battalion of stable stars.

ONE COOL CAT is vying for favouritism for the Victor Chandler Nunthorpe Stakes following his impressive victory at the Curragh on Sunday.

Arcalis left the statisticians scratching their heads as he foiled a popular gamble on the Queen’s Promotion to take the 45th running of the John Smith’s Cup at York today.

Paddy The Piper extended his winning sequence to five in brave fashion in the Grade Two Tote Exacta Premier Kelso Hurdle at Kelso yesterday, but he will be giving the Cheltenham Festival a miss.