Nick Gifford is leaning towards naming the JLT Specialty Handicap Chase as Tullamore Dew’s target at the Cheltenham Festival.

Super Duty showed courage in abundance to repel 4-7 favourite Keys in the Espirito Santo Investment Bank Novices' Hurdle at Ascot.

AGAIN, the weekend’s fare on the horse racing front isn’t the most inspiriting but Kempton, which is a track I like for national hunt racing, hosts a decent card, which features the Lanzarote Hurdle.

Quel Esprit and Havingotascoobydo were the most notable absentees at the final 48-hour declaration stage for the Spinal Research The Atlantic 4 Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

HENRY de Bromhead’s Loosen My Load is on target for the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday and the trainer feels he will benefit from stepping back up in distance.

Royal Wedding ensured a fairytale outcome for punters at Fontwell as he landed the Crabbie's Alcoholic Ginger Beer Handicap Chase today.

Bookmakers are fearing a "multi-million pound headache" when the aptly-named Royal Wedding runs at Fontwell tomorrow evening.

Captain Chris rewarded the smattering of racegoers at Kempton with a performance of genuine substance in the Bet Multiples - Betdaq 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle.

Nicky Henderson’s Zaynar is reportedly in fine form as he prepares to make his seasonal reappearance in the Coral Ascot Hurdle this weekend.

Anak made a successful transition from Flat racing to jumping as he put in a laboured performance to land the KBR Lashkar GAH Juvenile Maiden Hurdle at Plumpton.

A lot more is surely going to be heard of Peter Toole this season and the conditional rider produced a minor miracle to win at Fontwell.

Gauvain was given a 33-1 quote by Coral for the Arkle Trophy at next month’s Cheltenham Festival following his victory in the Grade Two Kilbrittain Castle Novices’ Chase at Sandown.

Charlie Mann is revelling in his best-ever season and Gauvain provided him with another Cheltenham Festival contender when taking the Grade Two Kilbrittain Castle Novices’ Chase at Sandown.

Mr Thriller made it two from two for the David Pipe yard by overcoming a howler at the second-last to take the Docker Hughes Memorial Novices' Hurdle at Fontwell.

Paul Nicholls is expecting a big run from Mahonia as the Ditcheat trainer seeks a fourth successive victory in the Blue Square Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown tomorrow.

Dee Ee Williams was trimmed to 20-1 by Coral for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the 2009 Cheltenham Festival after scoring on an afternoon brimming with future stars at Ascot.

NICKY HENDERSON was more than satisfied after Afsoun was made to pull out all the stops to make a winning start to his fencing career in the Commscope Solutions And Anixter Business Partners Novices’ Chase at Warwick yesterday.

Nicky Henderson was more than satisfied after Afsoun was made to pull out all the stops to make a winning start to his fencing career in the Commscope Solutions And Anixter Business Partners Novices’ Chase at Warwick today.

Charlie Mann was staggered at Wendel's starting price of 10-1 as his German import made a pleasing debut over hurdles on a murky afternoon at Plumpton.

STRAW BEAR left observers undecided but trainer Nick Gifford most satisfied as he was beaten by Sir Harry Ormesher on his chasing debut at Exeter yesterday.

Al Eile produced another fine Liverpool performance to land his third Scottish and Newcastle Pub Enterprises Aintree Hurdle.

NIKOLA can finally open his account over fences in the Frost Boys Beginners’ Chase at Leicester this afternoon.

Lemon Silk was added to the reopened Bathwick Tyres Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton on Saturday.

A fascinating rematch between Kauto Star and Monet’s Garden is the undoubted highlight of what should prove an informative week of action.

Nick Gifford offered no excuses for Straw Bear’s reverse at Sandown yesterday.

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.

Timmy Murphy steps in for the injured Tony McCoy as Straw Bear faces another potential match-race with Afsoun in the totescoop6 Contenders Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday.

Lucy Wadham has a lot to thank The Dark Lord for during the last few years and the veteran came up trumps when he was most needed at Fakenham.

DENIS O’REGAN ensured he will never forget his first experience of Fakenham by collecting a 14-day ban for riding a finish a circuit too early.

CATHEDRAL Rock was left with a lot to do last time and he can go one better than his second place with victory at Fakenham this afternoon.

Ironside helped keep the Colin Tizzard bandwagon rolling when making all to plunder the £25,000 skybet.com Sussex National at Plumpton.

Colin Tizzard has started 2008 in the same rich vein of form he ended last year and Ironside netted another valuable prize for his West Country stable in the £25,000 skybet.com Sussex National at Plumpton.

Nick Gifford’s Christmas Hurdle winner Straw Bear may head straight for the Champion Hurdle without the aid of another run.

Straw Bear (9-2) bounced back to his best to deny Harchibald a second win in the Stan James Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.

Arctic conditions continue to savage the fixture list but Plumpton’s use of frost covers ensured their meeting went ahead and allowed Kruguyrova to take the Betfair SP As It Should Be Novices’ Chase.

Champion Hurdle winner Sublimity returns to the scene of his greatest triumph as he heads a high-class field in tomorrow’s Boylesports.com International Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Tony McCoy hopes Straw Bear can acquit himself well when he returns to action in Saturday’s Boylesports.com International Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Jazz Messenger has been ruled out of the WBX.COM “Fighting Fifth” Hurdle on Saturday.

Kings Quay (16-1) gave John Quinn his second win of the three-day Aintree Grand National meeting with victory in the John Smith’s Extra Smooth Handicap Hurdle.

Peter Bowen is hoping the success of Dunbrody Millar in the John Smith’s Topham Chase is a good omen for his dual raid on tomorrow’s Grand National with McKelvey and Ballycassidy.

Wee Robbie, a gallant third in the Jewson Novices’ Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, could skip Aintree in favour of the Coral Scottish Grand National.

Straw Bear will enjoy an extended break before returning to racing in the autumn after pulling up in the Champion Hurdle last week.

COLM MURPHY is not expecting the ground to be a major stumbling block to Brave Inca as he prepares to defend his Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle title.

PHILIP Hobbs’ Detroit City, the main British hope, heads the betting at 2-1 following yesterday’s defection of both Macs Joy and Harchibald.