ENTRIES for the four big novice chases at the Cheltenham Festival were revealed this week with the three Grade 1s pretty much on a par with last season. The National Hunt Chase however, dropped from 37 last season to 26 this time. In the early 2000s it regularly had a field of over 20.

Unsurprisingly, Irish stables are dominant. Willie Mullins has 33 entries over the four races and ante-post punters will be aghast to find that six - Facile Vega, Gaelic Warrior, Il Etait Temps, Grangeclare West, Minella Cocooner and Nick Rockett are each entered in three different races. Fact To File is in the Turners and Brown Advisory with Mullins housing the current favourites for those two races in Grangeclare West and Gaelic Warrior as well as Embassy Gardens for the National Hunt Chase.