KASBAH BLISS is the nap choice to strike a blow for France in the Ladbrokes’ World Hurdle at Cheltenham this afternoon.

FRANCOIS Doumen admits he would not swap Kasbah Bliss for any other horse as the French handler goes in search of his third success in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at Cheltenham today.

Rambling Minster jumped his way into the John Smith’s Grand National picture with a splendid staying performance under trainer Keith Reveley’s son James in the Blue Square Gold Cup Chase at Haydock.

AIR FORCE ONE will bypass the rescheduled Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Sunday and go straight to Cheltenham.

JACK THE GIANT will miss the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Kasbah Bliss staked a claim on the Ladbrokes World Hurdle as Barry Keniry guided the French raider to a silky-smooth triumph in the RealHolidayReports.com Rendlesham Hurdle.

Good Bye Simon, not seen in Britain since getting pretty close to Katchit at Cheltenham in January, returns to Prestbury Park this weekend as he tries out the staying hurdles route.

Labelthou made just about all the running to land the Grade Two Casino 36 Stockport Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock.

Leading JCB Triumph Hurdle fancy Good Bye Simon is to take a first look at Cheltenham on Festival Trials Day later this month.

PAUL NICHOLLS is keeping a close eye on the weather and hoping the wet spell comes to an end ahead of Kauto Star’s outing in the Aon Chase at Newbury on February 10.

Thierry Doumen expects Foreman’s next start to be in the totepool Game Spirit Chase at Newbury next month.

Francois Doumen revealed Cheltenham Gold Cup fourth L’Ami is on course to run in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on November 18.

Foreman, who took the notable scalp of the Arkle winner Voy Por Ustedes on his final run of the season at Aintree, is to reappear in action over hurdles on Wednesday.

Francois Doumen reported Innox to be none the worse for his fall in the Grand National ahead of a likely tilt at the Betfred Gold Cup on Saturday.

ON WEDNESDAY it was Moscow Flyer who passed the baton onto a new generation. Yesterday, Baracouda’s connections were left pondering a similar path after a gallant but unsuccessful bid for a third Cheltenham success.

My Way de Solzen picked up the torch for a new generation of staying hurdlers as he defied fears over the drying ground to land the Ladbrokes World Hurdle on the third day of the Cheltenham Festival.

Francois Doumen believes Baracouda is as good as last year ahead of his bid to go one better in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle and claim the Cheltenham’s stayers’ championship for a third time tomorrow.

Francois Doumen delivered a powerful rebuttal to fears over the well-being of his string as he dominated proceedings at Sandown Park, highlighted by a one-two in the £100,000 Racing Post Chase.

FRANCOIS DOUMEN reports star staying hurdler Baracouda in great form ahead of his attempt to land his third Ladbrokes World Hurdle crown.

Francois Doumen has confirmed Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup runner-up L’Ami an intended starter in the Grade Two Aon Chase at Newbury on Saturday.

Francois Doumen is keeping a close eye on the weather as he continues to mull the possibility of sending L’Ami for Saturday’s Letheby & Christopher Chase at Cheltenham.

French raider Foreman was cut to 10-1 by totesport for the Irish Independent Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival after landing the intercasino.co.uk Novices’ Chase at Lingfield.

THIERRY DOUMEN is hoping Foreman will show enough at Lingfield today to merit a place at the Cheltenham Festival.

Thierry Doumen is hoping Foreman will show enough at Lingfield tomorrow to merit a place at the Cheltenham Festival.

FRANCOIS DOUMEN has revealed former champion stayer Baracouda could be joined by stablemates Millenium Royal and Blue Canyon in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle on March 16.

L’Ami is likely to use the Racing Post Chase at Sandown on February 25 as a stepping stone to the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Francois Doumen has revealed former champion stayer Baracouda could be joined by stablemates Millenium Royal and Blue Canyon in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle on March 16.

Baracouda, Rhinestone Cowboy and No Refuge are all vying for Ladbrokes World Hurdle favouritism after Inglis Drever became the latest big name to be sidelined through injury.

Inglis Drever became the latest high-profile casualty of the New Year when he was ruled out for the rest of the season with a tendon injury.

Timmy Murphy has secured the ride on the Francois Doumen-trained L’Ami in the Stan James King George VI Chase at Sandown on Boxing Day.

TRABOLGAN is now favourite for the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup following continued heavy sport.

Trabolgan is now favourite for the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup with some bookmakers following continued heavy sport.

Francois Doumen has ruled Kelami out of the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday week and will instead rely on L’Ami.

Francois Doumen believes the track at Windsor may not suit his dual Stayers’ Hurdle winner Baracouda when the 10-year-old makes his seasonal bow at the course on Friday.

RULE SUPREME will run over hurdles at Aintree today after Willie Mullins decided the ground was likely to be too fast for his Irish Hennessy winner to tackle the chase course.

Francois Doumen, fresh from sending out two winners at the Cheltenham Festival, has a bright chance of lifting France’s first Group Two race of the season with Samando at Longchamp on Sunday.

COLMAN SWEENEY (22) from Castlelyons, Co Cork, rode a magnificent race to land the Christie’s Foxhunters Chase on Sleeping Night for Paul Nicholls at Cheltenham yesterday.

Francois Doumen fought back from the disappointment of stable star Baracouda’s defeat yesterday with the victory of Moulin Riche in the Brit Insurance Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham this afternoon.

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.

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.

BARACOUDA will try to provide racing fans with some early Christmas sparkle as he bids for a fourth success in the Telectronics Long Walk Hurdle at Windsor today.

Connections of Baracouda are looking forward to the brilliant Frenchman gracing Windsor at the weekend when he bids for a fourth victory in the Long Walk Hurdle.

NIL DESPERANDUM has been the gamble of the Hennessy Gold Cup in recent days but although Frances Crowley reports him to be “as fit as I can get him”, she is concerned about the horse trying to defy a seven-month absence from the racecourse at Newbury this afternoon.