Paul Nicholls and Willie Mullins, the respective British and Irish champion jumps trainers, will be the recipients of the select team of horses Graham Wylie plans to keep in training.

Howard Johnson’s Tidal Bay will begin his campaign in the John Smith’s Hurdle at Wetherby on October 30.

NICKY HENDERSON expects Barry Geraghty to remain loyal to Punjabi and pick last weekend’s facile Kempton winner over Zaynar in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle.

Denis O’Regan was in cracking form at Ayr with a treble highlighted by imposing Cheltenham hope Quwetwo in the Blue Square Poker Novices’ Hurdle.

WILLIE Mullins’ pair of Cousin Vinny and Hurricane Fly are the headline-grabbing names among 112 entries, released yesterday, for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – the opening event of the Cheltenham Festival.