As expected, Denman will have to shoulder top-weight if he is to win the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury this weekend.

John Spearing is mulling over the limited options for Simon following his seasonal reappearance at Cheltenham on Saturday.

Exotic Dancer and Hedgehunter have been allocated joint top weight of 11st 12lb for this year’s John Smith’s Grand National.

ASIAN MAZE, Harchibald, Hardy Eustace and Macs Joy could clash at Gowran Park on Saturday in a high-class renewal of the Red Mills Trial Hurdle.

A high-class entry featuring 119 hopefuls has been revealed for the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree on April 14.

Kauto Star could face the first three home from last season’s totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup in his bid to join the racing legends at Prestbury Park in March.

KAUTO STAR could face the first three home from last season’s totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup in his bid to join the racing legends at Prestbury Park in March.

Alan King's D'Argent heads 25 entries for the totesport Classic Chase at Warwick on Saturday.

Hennessy Gold Cup winner State Of Play has been handed top weight of 11st 12lb in the Coral Welsh National at Chepstow on December 27.

Sue Smith believes Royal Emperor could be in need of the run if he lines up in the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on Saturday.

HEDGEHUNTER is a general 4-1 favourite with the English firms, although Irish bookmakers Cashmans and Paddy Power buck the trend with a 5-1 offer, to land back-to-back runnings of the John Smith’s Grand National after heading the list of 84 horses left in the Aintree spectacular at the five-day confirmation stage.

Connections of Sir Rembrandt are keeping their fingers crossed for rain during the build-up to the John Smith’s Grand National.

Ante-post favourite Beef Or Salmon heads the 28 horses remaining in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday following the five-day declaration stage.

Robert Alner is happy with his two totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup contenders, Kingscliff and Sir Rembrandt, with the big race just three weeks away.

Robert Alner is considering entering Sir Rembrandt in the John Smith’s Grand National after his stout display at Warwick on Saturday.

Andrew Thornton is convinced Sir Rembrandt can make a mockery of the recent formbook by winning the totesport Classic Chase at Warwick on Saturday.

RACING DEMON, ante-post favourite for the Arkle Trophy, will step up to two-and-a-half miles for the first time at Ludlow on Thursday.

ANTE-POST favourite Trabolgan heads 24 horses remaining in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday following the five-day confirmation stage yesterday.

BEST MATE’S story started on January 28, 1995 near Trim in County Meath, when the mare Katday produced a bay-coloured foal.

Best Mate’s story started on January 28, 1995 near Trim in County Meath, Ireland when the mare Katday produced a bay-coloured foal.

QUEEN Mother Champion Chase winner Moscow Flyer will face just five rivals when he bids to maintain his unbeaten record over fences in the John Smith’s Melling Chase at Aintree tomorrow.

LE COUDRAY is the new top-weight for the John Smith’s Grand National after 85 horses were confirmed at yesterday’s five-day stage for Saturday’s Aintree spectacular.

Le Coudray heads a list of 85 horses confirmed at today’s five-day stage for the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree on Saturday.

Howard Johnson has had two Grand National-style fences built as he prepares his big-race possibles for a tilt at Aintree.

KICKING KING lapped up the attention yesterday morning as the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup hero was given a rapturous welcome at his County Kildare base.

Philip Hobbs has supplemented Farmer Jack for next Friday’s totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup at a cost of £17,500 (€25,000).

Kicking King will miss the Cheltenham Festival after returning an unsatisfactory scope this morning.

THERE is a time in every sporting career when the hero gets overturned by the guy next in line, or the no-hoper or by the fairy story - and that happened to Best Mate at Leopardstown yesterday when he was beaten by Beef or Salmon.

TAKE a chance on Beef Or Salmon creating a minor surprise by beating mighty Best Mate in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown this afternoon.

BEEF OR SALMON, in many ways the great nearly horse of Irish racing, has to finally stand and deliver in next Tuesday’s Lexus ’Chase at Leopardstown!

Azertyuiop galloped to the top of the BHB’s Order Of Merit leaderboard this afternoon despite coming off second best to Moscow Flyer in the William Hill Tingle Creek Trophy at Sandown Park.

TIMMY MURPHY is keeping his cool ahead of the big ride on triple Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Best Mate at Exeter today.

Triple Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Best Mate will face a maximum of six rivals when he makes his scheduled return to action in the William Hill Chase at Exeter on Friday.

CASHMANS have dipped their toes in the ante-post market for the €180,000 Heineken Gold Cup at Punchestown next Wednesday.

MACS GILDORAN was the only surprise withdrawal from the Martell Cognac Grand National at yesterday's forfeit stage, leaving a total of 77 entries remaining in the race a week on Saturday.

Best Mate failed to produce “the same quality of performance” when recording his third successive victory in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, according to British Horseracing Board handicapper Phil Smith.

BEST MATE failed to produce “the same quality of performance” when recording his third successive victory in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, according to British Horseracing Board handicapper Phil Smith.

Best Mate thrilled his most dedicated band of supporters with another starring performance as he appeared in front of the crowds at Henrietta Knight’s West Lockinge stables in Oxfordshire this morning.

Best Mate jumped into racing folklore with a third successive victory in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup today.

Bindaree has recovered from the after-effects of a crunching fall at Warwick and is on course for the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup at Haydock on February 28.

THE presence of Alexander Banquet in this afternoon’s Thyestes ’Chase at Gowran Park has reduced the field to just ten, with most trainers deciding there was no point running horses from well out of the handicap.

FRENCH raider Jair Du Cochet heads a cast of 11 who have been entered for Saturday’s Grade Two Pillar Property Chase at Cheltenham.

AZERTYUIOP, second to Moscow Flyer in the William Hill Tingle Creek Trophy at Sandown in December, faces a tough task giving weight all round in Saturday’s Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot.