Big test for Jonjo’s hotshots
O'Neill is responsible for the brilliant novice Rhinestone Cowboy and the established star Intersky Falcon in the £300,000 showpiece.
He won the Champion Hurdle twice as a jockey on jumping greats Sea Pigeon (1980) and Dawn Run (1984). Winter went one better as a jockey before going on to win it four times as a trainer, the last of which was Celtic Shot in 1988, ridden by Peter Scudamore, whose son, Tom, rides Iberus, one of three runners for Martin Pipe in tomorrow's renewal.
Champion jockey Tony McCoy will ride Copeland for Pipe with Rodi Greene on the third of the trainer's runners, Westender.
Rhinestone Cowboy has been favourite since his impressive victory in the Axminster Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton last month.
But he drifted out to 5-2 from 2-1 with William Hill yesterday and his stablemate Intersky Falcon, owned by a syndicate that includes Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer, also eased slightly to 7-2 from 100-30.
All eyes will be on the seven-year-old Rhinestone Cowboy, owned by Sue Magnier, as he bids to take the giant leap from top novice to being the best in the business after just four races over hurdles.
A field of 17 is set to go to post after the Irish-trained outsider Bob What proved the only withdrawal at the final declaration stage.
Last year's winner Hors La Loi III is taken on again by the runner-up, Marble Arch, while Rooster Booster, who captured the Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle at last year's meeting, will bid to become the first grey horse to win since Kribensis in 1990.
Noel Chance, with two Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup triumphs under his belt through Mr Mulligan (1997) and Looks Like Trouble (2000) will be seeking his first Champion Hurdle success when he saddles Flame Creek.
But his confidence in the seven-year-old, unbeaten in three starts this season, has waned slightly as the Lambourn trainer believes Cheltenham have overdone the watering.
"Two weeks ago they said they wanted it on the easy side of good for the Festival and they have certainly going to have that on the first day," he warned. "I think it will be good to soft on the first day."
As a result he also conceded that the ground may not bring about the improvement his horse needs to find to shake up the best today.
"This is the best ground he has encountered all year, there's no doubt about that," he said. "But I don't think it's good enough to bring about 7lb to 10lb improvement in him.
"He would need to improve 7lb on what he's done to date or perhaps a little more to win this race.
"I would be more confident if we had genuine good ground."
Cheltenham clerk of the course Simon Claisse reported no change in the going at good, good to soft in places. "We've had one shower so far today, yielding just one fifth of a millimetre. We are told to expect rain tonight with between four and eight millimetres forecast," he said.
Meanwhile, Florida Peal is also in fine shape ahead of his bid to win the £250,000 Queen Mother Champion Chase tomorrow.
"Florida Pearl was out on the course yesterday morning and this morning and he's in great form," said Tracey Gilmore, travelling head lad to Irish trainer Willie Mullins.
Florida Pearl, who won four races last season including the Pertemps King George VI Chase at Kempton, has not had the best of times this term, failing in three attempts.
"You'd have to be disappointed with Florida Pearl's three performances so far but hopefully he's on his way back with a bit of sun on his back, enjoying the spring," she said. "It has been difficult for all of our horses, we've been very quiet."
Florida Pearl is dropping back to two miles, not having run over the minimum trip since 1997. "I don't have any worries about the trip obviously he hasn't run over two miles since he won the bumper here.
"He's a horse who's always had plenty of pace and speed and his jumping is much slicker than it used to be a couple of years ago and there's no reason why it shouldn't suit him," she added.
Gold Cup second-favourite Beef Or Salmon arrived safely at the course at 5pm yesterday after making the long journey from Michael Hourigan's Patrickswell base.
"It was a good crossing from Ireland and it's a lot windier on land than it was at sea," said the trainer's son, Michael jnr, after seeing the exciting novice safely into the racecourse stables.
"Beef Or Salmon travelled fine and has not turned a hair.
"We left at 4am this morning. He'll be walked for 10 or 15 minutes now to loosen him up and then he'll be put in his box where he'll get some food and a drink.
"He'll probably then have a pick of grass in about an hour."
Hourigan jnr said the unbeaten seven-year-old was unlikely to be uncomfortable in his new surroundings.
"Not really," he said. "He's too laid back and he had Dorans Pride upsides in the lorry to talk to."
