WHAT’S £150 million (€196m) between friends?

KICKING King was reported to be in “super” form yesterday by trainer Tom Taaffe following his excellent comeback run at Gowran Park.

Celestial Gold could make his eagerly-awaited reappearance over timber at Hereford later this week as connections elected to bypass a chase at Leicester on Tuesday.

Turpin Green will be prepared for another crack at the Cheltenham Gold Cup after taking the Edward Hanmer Memorial Graduation Chase at Haydock.

Ollie Magern could return to the track in time for the Letheby And Christopher Chase at Cheltenham on January 26.

Welsh National winner Halcon Genelardais and Rehearsal Chase winner Neptune Collonges top the weights for the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup at Haydock.

Jonjo O’Neill is planning a major onslaught on Cheltenham’s key Festival trials on Saturday with Wichita Lineman, Exotic Dancer and hurdling debutant Mountain set to face the starter along with Black Jack Ketchum.

JONJO O’NEILL is planning a major onslaught on Cheltenham’s key Festival trials on Saturday with Wichita Lineman, Exotic Dancer and hurdling debutant Mountain set to face the starter along with Black Jack Ketchum.

HEDGEHUNTER, winner of the 2005 Grand National, is likely to be seen in Grade One action next month.

Idle Talk will return to Cheltenham to try his luck in the £100,000 (€152,000) Letheby & Christopher Chase on January 27.

Our Vic remains in line to make his next appearance in the Letheby & Christopher Chase at Cheltenham at the end of next month.

This afternoon’s high-profile meeting at Cheltenham has been abandoned due to frost.

Cheltenham are taking every precaution to ensure Saturday’s big meeting, featuring the Victor Chandler Chase and Letheby & Christopher Chase, goes ahead.

Take The Stand is on course to run at Cheltenham this weekend with trainer Peter Bowen not wishing to swap his totesport Gold Cup runner-up for anything else in this year’s renewal.

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.

Take The Stand is on course to run at Cheltenham this weekend with trainer Peter Bowen not wishing to swap his totesport Gold Cup runner-up for anything else in this year’s renewal.

IRISH mare Asian Maze and Howard Johnson’s No Refuge head the 18 entries for the Byrne Bros Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday.

ROBERT ALNER is hoping Kingscliff can prove his well-being with a bold show in the Grade Two Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock today.

Kingscliff’s owner Arnie Sendell insists the gelding is in top trim ahead of a possible crack at the Peter Marsh Chase on Saturday.

Gold Cup contender Kingscliff is being primed for a tilt at the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock on Saturday.

Howard Johnson hopes Grey Abbey can bounce back to form in the skybet.com Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby on St Stephen's Day.

Letheby & Christopher have been unveiled as the new sponsor of the race formerly known as the Pillar Property Chase at 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.

Schedule for the opening day of the 2005 Cheltenham Festival.

NEWCASTLE United's dream run of form has denied coach Terry McDermott and captain Alan Shearer the chance to join their horses on the annual pilgrimage to Cheltenham.

Trainer Noel Meade will decide later today whether to send Wild Passion over to Sandown Park for the ladbrokes.com Tolworth Hurdle.

MICHAEL BOWE hopes that Solerina has retained her form ahead of a mouth-watering rematch with Hardy Eustace in the Bewleys Hotels Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown today.

Letheby & Christopher, the Cheltenham racecourse caterers, are prepared for a hectic time at next week’s National Hunt Festival.