THE currently dry spell is expected to continue in the Cheltenham area until Tuesday afternoon when some rain or sleet is forecast. Yesterday's going remained good and present indications are for good if not fast ground on Tuesday's opening day. Some mixed weather is forecast for the rest of next week
Ireland will have just 16 or 17 runners in five of the six races on Tuesday with only two declared (Danoli and Hotel Minella) in the Champion Hurdle from an original entry of 15.
We have only four horses left in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, including the Ladbroke Hurdle winner Dance Beat, who will be ridden by Richard Dunwoody, favourite to secure this year's Ritz Trophy for the Festival's leading rider. Beakstown, Mulligan and Rye Fontaine make up the Irish challenge.
We are well represented in the Arkle Challenge Trophy for which the ex French mare Draborgie will start a warm favourite. King Wah Glory and Ventana Canyon will be suited to good ground. Manhattan Castle has drifted slightly in the betting but there does not appear to be much support for Double Symphony or Cable Beach.
Flashing Steel will carry top weight of 12st in the Ritz Club Chase for which recent Thurles winner Second Schedual receives 19lbs. Flashing Steel, who has been crying out for good ground, may also run in Thursday's Gold Cup if coming out of Tuesday's race without mishap.
The Hamlet Gold Card Final has attracted four Irish hurdlers including What A Question, who won on good ground at Liverpool last year, No When To Run, Moonhono and Amble Speedy. The latter is declared for today's Long Distance Handicap Hurdle at Navan.
I was delighted, but by no means surprised, to see that Charlie Swan has remained loyal to Aidan O'Brien and will ride Life Of A Lord rather than Lo Stregone in the Martell Grand National.
Swan replaced the injured Jamie Osborne on Lo Strogone to win the Greenalls Grand National Trial at Haydock and was then offered the ride on the Grand National favourite. Aidan O'Brien said he would not stand in the jockey's way and Swan who must have been severely tempted said he would wait for a week or two. Life Of A Lord will be suited by good ground at Aintree.
With the best of our horses on stand by for Cheltenham the fare at Navan and Naas this weekend is understandably pedestrian.
Minella Gold will be hard to beat in today's INH Stallion Owners Novice Hurdle Series Final at Navan.
Course winner Make An Effort, third behind Leggagh Lady at Thurles may return to winning form in the Castletown Handicap Hurdle and Roundwood, who narrowly beat Tuesday's Hamlet Cigar Final contender No When To Run in a recent handicap hurdle at Naas, may confirm the placings with the third placed Rockfield Native in the Long Distance Handicap Hurdle.
