McManus duo head to Cheltenham

Garde Champetre and Heads Onthe Ground will represent owner JP McManus in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham on Friday.

Both horses, trained by Enda Bolger, are regulars round the specialist circuit at Prestbury Park.

Garde Champetre is a three-times course-and-distance winner and was second to Dix Villez in this race last November.

Heads Onthe Ground won the cross-country chase at the Festival in March 2007 and will be making his seventh appearance over these obstacles.

“Garde Champetre had a nice run over hurdles recently. That will have put him spot-on for it,” said the owner’s racing manager Frank Berry.

“They both enjoy it round there and are in good form.”

L’Ami, another McManus-Bolger cross-country favourite, also holds an entry at Cheltenham but will instead take up his engagement in the Event Power Risk Of Thunder Chase at Punchestown on Saturday.

“He goes there. He ran a lovely race when third over hurdles at Naas a couple of weeks ago,” Berry added.