Training legend Martin Pipe believes the Dunguib camp have done the right thing in sticking to the novice route at Cheltenham next week.

Last season’s Champion Hurdle one-two Punjabi and Celestial Halo could once again lock horns at Cheltenham after featuring among 10 possible runners in Saturday’s boylesports.com International Hurdle.

Ian Williams is in no rush to make any definite plans for Weird Al following success on his chasing debut at Cheltenham last Friday.

All eyes will this afternoon be on Tony McCoy and red-hot favourite Binocular when the tapes go up for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.

Binocular could be part of the largest field for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle in 18 years with Nicky Henderson’s hot favourite one of 24 horses declared for Tuesday’s main event.

THE Paddy Power Imperial Cup at Sandown has become something of a Pipe family benefit over recent years and the current master of Pond House has two leading contenders for glory in today’s renewal.

CONNECTIONS of Whiteoak will wait until nearer the time before deciding whether to let the mare take on the boys in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham next month.

Ashkazar bounced back from a disappointing seasonal reappearance to win the Bathwick Tyres Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton.

A total of 29 horses stand their ground at the latest forfeit stage for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle, the feature race of the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.

Such was the extraordinary form of trainer Nicky Henderson at Ascot on Saturday, the only surprise about Sentry Duty winning a particularly competitive renewal of The Ladbroke was his odds of 12-1.

Belcantista, ante-post gamble for The Ladbroke, has sneaked in one from bottom in the 21-horse line-up.

Nigel Twiston-Davies hopes to be double-handed with Khyber Kim and Leamington Lad in The Ladbroke at Ascot on Saturday.

Plans are fluid for David Pipe’s Champion Hurdle hope Ashkazar after he missed his intended seasonal reappearance in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Top-weight and leading fancy Ashkazar has been declared a non-runner in tomorrow’s Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham.

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

SOMEONE who will go nameless for the moment told us Khyber Kim couldn’t be beaten in the Cheltenham opener.

LOGIC dictates that Sizing Europe has to be the selection to land the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham this afternoon.

THE talking has finally finished and now it is time for action.

Connections have yet to make a decision on which race Ashkazar runs in at the Cheltenham Festival.

Ashkazar will net a £75,000 bonus if following up at the Cheltenham Festival after plundering the Sunderlands Imperial Cup at Sandown.

The Pipe family continued their monopoly of the Sunderlands Imperial Cup at Sandown as Ashkazar made all the running under Timmy Murphy.

All the major fancies for the JCB Triumph Hurdle remain among the 38 remaining possibles at the six-day stage.

Silverburn may try to emulate full-brother Denman by capturing the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at the Cheltenham Festival after his all-the-way success in the totesport.com Challengers Novices’ Chase at Sandown.

A move to Paul Nicholls from Robert Alner’s and a breathing operation have seemingly transformed Trust Fund, who bossed his rivals from the front in the Weatherbys Bank Silver Buck Handicap Chase at Wincanton.

Aidan O’Brien has six of the 16 entries left in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot on Friday.