Al Eile features among 17 horses engaged in Saturday’s Scottish And Newcastle Pub Enterprises Aintree Hurdle.

BRYAN Smart really had to put his back into it to get his horses to Musselburgh yesterday and his efforts were rewarded when Nortune ran out a 10-1 winner of the totesport 0800 221 221 Maiden Stakes.

A bumper entry of 130 has been received for the opening race at the Cheltenham Festival, the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

GRANGECLARE Lark, a leading contender for the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March, has been retired.

Souffleur is set for a few weeks on the easy list after his disappointing show at Warwick on Saturday.

A return to his favourite course sparked D’Argent back to life as the veteran grey splashed through the mud to claim the totesport.com Classic Chase at Warwick.

Paul Webber admits One Gulp and Edgbriar face an uphill task if they line up in Saturday’s Ballymore Properties Leamington Novices’ Hurdle.

Keith Goldsworthy’s stable star Hills Of Aran is likely to revert to novice company on Saturday.

Following a rollercoaster ride of a week in which Gold Cup-bound pair Kauto Star and Denman both did the business, the weekend action took something of a back seat.

Leading conditional jockey Paddy Merrigan has “effectively left” Peter Bowen’s yard in Pembrokeshire, England.

Souffleur followed in the illustrious hoofprints of Denman and Wichita Lineman as another wide-margin winner of the Ballymore Properties Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury.

Osana, who could yet contest this Saturday’s Boylesports.com International Hurdle, is the top-weight and ante-post favourite for the Ladbroke at Ascot seven days later.

Souffleur will bid to land his fourth successive win over timber in Saturday’s Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

A dream weekend for Sam Thomas hit new heights as Mr Pointment made virtually all to score over the famous Grand National fences in the totesport.com Becher Chase at Aintree.