JOHNNY SETASIDE, the main challenger to Mr Mulligan in the Sun Alliance Chase, will travel to Cheltenham, his trainer Noel Meade confirmed yesterday.

Meade was re-considering running plans, worried that the going may be fast but an early bulletin from stable staff, already at the track, has put his mind at ease.

"I was frightened the ground was firming up in which case he wouldn't run. But my staff say it's on the easy side of good, so he will travel now and I will make a definite decision once I have checked myself," he said.

Cheltcnham was dry yesterday but heavy rain is expected to hit the track by midnight.

GORDON RICHARDS has dismissed suggestions that Gold Cup favourite One Man would be vulnerable if conditions were testing at Cheltenham on Thursday.

"A lot of people have said he would be disadvantaged if it was soft - they seem to know more than me!" the trainer said. "He has won plenty of races on very soft and I don't mind about the ground."

The King George VI

Tripleprint Chase winner is 11 to 1O favourite with William Hill to become the first horse since Desert Orchid in 1989 to win chasing's two most prestigious long-distance events in the same season.

He completed his preparation with a racecourse gallop at Carlisle last Wednesday and Richards said: "One Man is top of the pops now.