Earthmover Foxhunter-bound again

Last year’s winner Earthmover is among a record 44 entries for the Christie’s Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham.

The 14-year-old defied his old age to beat a large field 12 months ago, six years after his first victory in the leading hunter chase.

Paul Nicholls’s evergreen charge won at Fontwell last time out and he is around a 12-1 chance with Coral for this year’s race.

Earthmover’s stable companion Sleeping Night is the current favourite for the March 18 race but a strong Irish challenge of seven is topped by last year’s runner-up Never Compromise.

Recent Leopardstown scorer Lord Of The Turf and Edward O’Grady’s General Montcalm would be interesting possibles from the Emerald Isle while Sally Alner could try to follow up Kingscliff’s win in the 2003 race with Free Gift.

Other notable possibles include the Olivia Jackson-trained Lord Atterbury, third in the Grand National last year, and Paddy For Paddy who beat Free Gift at Folkestone last time.