O’Neill brings out the big guns

JONJO O’NEILL is planning a major onslaught on Cheltenham’s key Festival trials on Saturday with Wichita Lineman, Exotic Dancer and hurdling debutant Mountain set to face the starter along with Black Jack Ketchum.

Exotic Dancer is being primed for the Letheby And Christopher Chase, although the King George runner-up is not a definite starter as connections are also eyeing the shorter Ladbrokes Trophy Chase, should conditions be testing.

The trainer said: “He doesn’t mind soft ground and he will run on Saturday, probably in the old Pillar (now Letheby And Christopher).