ANTE-post favourite Apple's Shakira (Nicky Henderson) tops 47 entries for the JCB Triumph Hurdle. No filly has won the four-year-old showpiece since French challenger Snow Drop in 2000.
Henderson's three possibles also include We Have A Dream, winner of the Grade 1 Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow.
Apple's Shakira's owner J.P. McManus has another strong contender in Espoir D'Allen (Gavin Cromwell) who has won all four of his hurdles starts in Ireland so far this season.
Alan King has an excellent record with juvenile hurdlers and his five entries are headed by Redicean, while wide-margin Fairyhouse winner Stormy Ireland is one of seven engaged for Willie Mullins.
Gigginstown House Stud has a strong hand in the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle (83 entries) over three miles, with Cracking Smart and recent Thurles Grade 2 winner Dortmund Park (both trained by Gordon Elliott) among its seven entries.
Santini (Nicky Henderson) maintained his unbeaten record in the Grade 2 Ballymore Classic Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham on Festival Trials Day and could step up to three miles for the first time at the festival.
Poetic Rhythm (Fergal O'Brien), victorious in the Grade 1 Challow Novices' Hurdle at Newbury, is likely to run, along with recent Doncaster Grade 2 scorer Enniscoffey Oscar (Emma Lavelle).
JCB Triumph Hurdle
Grade 1, Total Prize Fund £125,000. 1.30pm, Cheltenham, Friday, March 16. New Course, two miles and one furlong (2m 179yds). For juvenile four-year-olds only. Weights: 11st each. Allowances: fillies 7lb. Entries closed January 30, entries revealed, February 1 (47 entries), scratchings deadline February 20, six-day confirmation and £6,250 supplementary stage March 10. Final declaration stage 10am, Thursday, March 14th.
HORSE Age Owner Trainer
ACT OF VALOUR 4 McNeill Family Paul Nicholls
APPARITION (IRE) 4 Rugby & Racing Syndicate Joseph O'Brien IRE
APPLE'S SHAKIRA (FR) 4 J P McManus Nicky Henderson
BALLYWOOD (FR) 4 Highclere Thoroughbred Racing - Ballywood Alan King
BID ADIEU (IRE) 4 A Brooks Venetia Williams
BIG EGO 4 A Oliver Andrew Oliver IRE
BIRDS OF PREY (IRE) 4 Mrs Kathy Stuart Paul Nicholls
CASA TALL (FR) 4 Racing Ventures, Sharon, Dermot & David Tom George
EOLINE JOLIE (FR) 4 Sullivan Bloodstock Limited Willie Mullins IRE
ESPOIR D'ALLEN (FR) 4 J P McManus Gavin Cromwell IRE
ESPRIT DE SOMOZA (FR) 4 Robert Forster Nick Williams
EUREU DU BOULAY (FR) 4 D W Fox Richard Hobson
FARCLAS (FR) 4 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
GREY WATERS (IRE) 4 Boragh Stud Syndicate Joseph O'Brien IRE
GUMBALL (FR) 4 Terry Warner Philip Hobbs
HARMONISE 4 Ian Poysden Sheena West
ITSALONGLONGROAD 4 Rockview Racing Club John McConnell IRE
JABOTICABA (FR) 4 Owners Group 025 Alan King
KHUDHA (IRE) 4 Barry Connell Alan Fleming IRE
LES ARCEAUX (IRE) 4 Gigginstown House Stud Henry de Bromhead IRE
LISP (IRE) 4 Richard & Lizzie Kelvin-Hughes Alan King
LOOK MY WAY 4 Drew & Ailsa Russell John Quinn
MAX LIEBERMANN (IRE) 4 Gerry McGladery John Ryan
MITCHOUKA (FR) 4 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
MR ADJUDICATOR 4 David Bobbett Willie Mullins IRE
MSASSA (FR) 4 Sullivan Bloodstock Limited Willie Mullins IRE
NAYATI (FR) 4 Grech & Parkin Alan King
NUBE NEGRA (SPA) 4 T Spraggett Dan Skelton
PEARL OF THE WEST (IRE) 4 D Kierans John McConnell IRE
PESK EBREL (FR) 4 Suc G Berthouloux/Y Gourraud Yohann Gourraud FR
REDICEAN 4 Apple Tree Stud Alan King
REVE 4 Oliver Ryan Martin Keighley
SAGLAWY (FR) 4 Sullivan Bloodstock Limited Willie Mullins IRE
SALDIER (FR) 4 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
SAO (FR) 4 Mrs Johnny de la Hey Paul Nicholls
SAYO 4 Palmerstown Racing Partnership Willie Mullins IRE
SOLO SAXOPHONE (IRE) 4 BGC Racing Dan Skelton
STORMY IRELAND (FR) 4 Sullivan Bloodstock Limited Willie Mullins IRE
STYLE DE GARDE (FR) 4 Highclere Thoroughbred Racing - Style Nicky Henderson
SUSSEX RANGER (USA) 4 The Tongdean Partnership Gary Moore
TENTH AMENDMENT (IRE) 4 Karl Davis Keith Clarke IRE
THE KING OF MAY (FR) 4 Phil & Julie Martin Brian Ellison
THISTIMENEXTYEAR 4 Rebel Racing (2) Richard Spencer
TORCELLO (IRE) 4 Ed Tynan Andrew McNamara IRE
VEILED SECRET (IRE) 4 Corbett Stud David Dennis
VISION D'ETE (FR) 4 Noel Meade Noel Meade IRE
WE HAVE A DREAM (FR) 4 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede Nicky Henderson
47 entries
20 Irish-trained
1 French-trained
Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle
Grade 1, Total Prize Fund £125,000, Cheltenham, 2.50pm, Friday, March 16, New Course, three miles (2m 7f 213yds), for novice four-year-olds and upwards. Weights 4-y-o 10st 10lb, 5-y-o and upwards 11st 5lb, fillies and mares allowance 7lb Entries closed Tuesday, January 30, entries revealed Thursday, February 1 (83 entries). Scratchings deadline February 20, six-day confirmation and £6,250 supplementary stage Saturday, March 10. Final declaration stage 10am, Thursday, March 14th.
Horse Age Owner Trainer
AHEAD OF THE CURVE (FR) 6 T Green Susan Corbett
AINSI VA LA VIE (FR) 8 Supreme Horse Racing Club Willie Mullins IRE
ANOTHER STOWAWAY (IRE) 6 H Stephen Smith & Family Gabbertas Tom George
ARTICULUM (IRE) 8 Martin McDonagh/Paul G Murphy/M J Nixon Terence O'Brien IRE
AS YOU WERE (FR) 6 Barry Connell Alan Fleming IRE
BALLYWARD (IRE) 6 Andrea & Graham Wylie Willie Mullins IRE
BEYOND THE LAW (IRE) 6 Ann & Alan Potts Limited Mouse Morris IRE
BLACK OP (IRE) 7 Roger Brookhouse Tom George
BLOW BY BLOW (IRE) 7 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
BRAHMA BULL (IRE) 7 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
BURREN LIFE (IRE) 6 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
BURROWS SAINT (FR) 5 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
CALETT MAD (FR) 6 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede Nigel Twiston-Davies
CARLOS DU FRUITIER (FR) 6 The Sandbaggers Club Ben Pauling
CARTER MCKAY 7 Pearl Bloodstock Ltd Willie Mullins IRE
CHEF DES OBEAUX (FR) 6 Sullivan Bloodstock Limited Nicky Henderson
CHRIS'S DREAM (IRE) 6 Robcour Henry de Bromhead IRE
CLONDAW NATIVE (IRE) 6 KTDA Consultancy Limited Stuart Edmunds
COOLANLY (IRE) 6 Five Go Racing Fergal O'Brien
COOLE HALL (IRE) 6 Mr & Mrs Duncan Davidson Rose Dobbin
COUNT MERIBEL 6 Charles C Walker Nigel Twiston-Davies
CRACKING SMART (FR) 6 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
CRUCIAL ROLE 6 Ludlow Racing Partnership Henry Daly
DANS LE VENT (FR) 5 Marek Gumienny & Adam Signy Jamie Snowden
DASHING PERK 7 Paul Jenkins Dr Richard Newland
DEAL D'ESTRUVAL (FR) 5 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
DEBUCHET (FR) 5 Force Eight Syndicate Mags Mullins IRE
DELTA WORK (FR) 5 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
DICEY O'REILLY (IRE) 6 Robcour Henry de Bromhead IRE
DISCORAMA (FR) 5 Andrew Gemmell/Thomas Friel Paul Nolan IRE
DORTMUND PARK (FR) 5 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
DRACONIEN (FR) 5 Clipper Logistics Willie Mullins IRE
DROVERS LANE (IRE) 6 Hyde, Hill, Moran, Outhart & Curtis Rebecca Curtis
DUC DES GENIEVRES (FR) 5 Sullivan Bloodstock Limited Willie Mullins IRE
ENNISCOFFEY OSCAR (IRE) 6 The Pick 'N' Mix Partnership Emma Lavelle
FABULOUS SAGA (FR) 6 Sullivan Bloodstock Limited Willie Mullins IRE
FLAWLESS ESCAPE 5 T O'Driscoll Gordon Elliott IRE
FLEMCARA (IRE) 6 Andy & The Frisky Fillies Emma Lavelle
GAME ON (IRE) 6 Personal Racehorse Owners 5 Lucy Wadham
GETABIRD (IRE) 6 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
GIANT SPIRIT (USA) 6 Michelle Doyle/Sean Barton Willie Mullins IRE
GOWITHTHEFLOW (IRE) 5 Bruton Street Ben Pauling
HATCHET JACK (IRE) 6 A J Pearson, Mark Jenner, Ed Hawkings Paul Henderson
JAUNTY FLYER 6 PP Control & Automation Limited Tim Vaughan
JUMP FOR DOUGH (IRE) 7 Kelso Lowflyers & Jumping For Dough Lucinda Russell
KESSELRING 5 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
KILBRICKEN STORM (IRE) 7 A Selway & P Wavish Colin Tizzard
KILDISART (IRE) 6 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede Ben Pauling
KNIGHT IN DUBAI (IRE) 5 Mr & Mrs Ben Houghton Dan Skelton
LOUGH RYN (IRE) 6 Level Par Racing Neil Mulholland
MELROSE BOY (FR) 6 Paul & Clare Rooney Harry Fry
MINELLA FAIR (IRE) 7 Patricia Hunt Noel Meade IRE
MONKSHOOD (IRE) 6 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
MOUNT HANOVER 7 Sally Rowley-Williams Henry de Bromhead IRE
MOYROSS 7 Patricia Hunt Noel Meade IRE
MR WHIPPED (IRE) 5 Grech & Parkin Nicky Henderson
MULCAHYS HILL (IRE) 6 McNeill Family and Prodec Networks Ltd Warren Greatrex
NEXT DESTINATION (IRE) 6 Malcolm C Denmark Willie Mullins IRE
NOT MANY LEFT (IRE) 5 Robcour Jessica Harrington IRE
PAISLEY PARK (IRE) 6 Andrew Gemmell Emma Lavelle
POETIC RHYTHM (IRE) 7 The Yes No Wait Sorries Fergal O'Brien
PRESENT MAN (IRE) 8 Woodhouse & Sutton Paul Nicholls
RAVENHILL ROAD (IRE) 7 Phil & Julie Martin Brian Ellison
REAL STEEL (FR) 5 Sullivan Bloodstock Limited Willie Mullins IRE
RED RIVER (IRE) 5 The Red River Syndicate Kim Bailey
RING MINELLA (IRE) 7 NHRE Racing Club Paul Henderson
ROBIN WATERS (FR) 5 Colm Donlon Dan Skelton
SAM BROWN 6 T C Frost Anthony Honeyball
SAMCRO (IRE) 6 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
SAMUEL JACKSON 6 R Mitford-Slade & Lucy Johnson Richard Mitford-Slade
SANTINI 6 Richard & Lizzie Kelvin-Hughes Nicky Henderson
SCARPETA (FR) 5 Thurloe Thoroughbreds Ireland Limited Willie Mullins IRE
TALKISCHEAP (IRE) 6 Charles Dingwall Alan King
TERREFORT (FR) 5 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede Nicky Henderson
THERMISTOCLES (IRE) 6 Sarah O'Brien Joseph O'Brien IRE
TIKKANBAR (IRE) 7 Brian Mulholland Neil Mulholland
TOMMY RAPPER (IRE) 7 Judy Craymer & Nick Skelton Dan Skelton
VINNDICATION (IRE) 5 Moremoneythan Kim Bailey
WARTHOG (FR) 6 Professor Caroline Tisdall & Bryan Drew David Pipe
WAY BACK THEN (IRE) 7 Nicholas Piper & Claire E Piper Ben Pauling
WESTEND STORY (IRE) 7 Mick Fitzgerald Racing Club Philip Hobbs
WHITE MOON (GER) 6 Brocade Racing Colin Tizzard
WONDEROFTHEWORLD (IRE) 6 Barry Connell Alan Fleming IRE
83 entries
36 Irish-trained