OVER half of the 59 entries for the JLT Chase at the Cheltenham Festival are Irish-trained. There are 31 Irish hopefuls in all, of which Gordon Elliott (12) and Willie Mullins (13) are responsible for 25.

However, the favourite for the race is the Ben Pauling-trained Willoughby Court (4/1), who has already won a Grade 2 over two and a half miles this season. He won a thrilling renewal of the Neptune Investmentment Management Novices’ Hurdle last season and should be well suited to good spring ground when the festival comes along again.

He was, however, beaten on his previous run by both Yanworth (12/1) and Sizing Tennessee (33/1), who are also entered here. The former would be a big player if confirmed for this race but he has been given others options at the festival by his trainer Alan King.

The Irish challenge is a cloudy one at the moment and the picture is set to become clearer after the running of the Grade 1 Flogas Novice Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival next weekend.

Willie Mullins has won the JLT Chase four times since its inauguration and his pair Invitation Only (12/1) and Al Boum Photo (12/1) could stake their claim for a race ticket in the Leopardstown contest, as could Gordon Elliott’s talented Sutton Place and the progressive mare Shattered Love.

It is interesting that the highly-touted Footpad (10/1) has been given the option of this race. The Mullins horse has proven form at around this distance and his owners have another option in Henry VIII Chase winner Sceau Royal for the shorter-distance Arkle.

Henry de Bromhead has entered three – Conrad Hastings (50/1), Petit Mouchoir (16/1) and Monalee (16/1), while some smaller Irish yards could also be represented. Peter Fahey’s classy chaser Peregrine Run (33/1) has been kept back all season for a spring campaign, while Ted Walsh’s Any Second Now (25/1) already has some smart form in the book.

Other entries of note are the Gary Moore-trained Benatar (12/1), a Loughbrickland point winner, and the Neil Mulholland-trained Kalondra (25/1), who is already a winner over the JLT Chase course and distance.