Ground the key to Mikael festival bid

Underfoot conditions at Cheltenham in March are likely to determine whether Mikael D’Haguenet takes his chance in the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle.

The Willie Mullins-trained five-year-old looks a horse with a huge future, and was cut to 5-1 from 6s by Victor Chandler after strolling home in the Grade Two Goffs Slaney Hurdle at Naas.