Foxhunter, Cross Country and Champion Bumper entries revealed for 2016 Festival

Champion Jump trainer Willie Mullins has engaged 10 horses as he bids for a ninth victory in the race, including Navan Listed bumper scorer Augusta Kate (8/1), while champion Flat trainer Aidan O’Brien may aim for his first Festival win in 16 years with Aspen Colorado (12/1).

The home challenge looks set to be headed by the Sue Gardner trained Coeur Blimey (8/1) and Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Ballyandy (8/1), who were first and second in a Listed bumper at Ascot in December.

Limini tops 36 entries for new Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle

The inaugural £75k Grade 2 Trull House Stud Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (also known as the Dawn Run Novices’ Hurdle) is the final race on St Patrick’s Thursday, March 17th, and 36 entries for the 2m 1f contest include Limini (even-money favourite), who easily won a Grade 3 mares’ novices’ hurdle at Fairyhouse in January on debut for trainer Willie Mullins.

Richard and Lizzie Kelvin-Hughes, who own the sponsor Trull House Stud, may be represented by the Nicky Henderson-trained pair of Chocca Wocca (14/1) and Robins Reef (16/1), plus Dusky Legend, from the stable of Alan King.

On The Fringe hoping to outfox rivals for a second time

On The Fringe (2/1 favourite with Coral) was a decisive winner of the £40k St James’s Place Foxhunter Chase at The Festival in 2015 and the Enda Bolger-trained 11-year-old heads 41 contenders for this year’s race, which takes place on Gold Cup Day, Friday, March 18th.

Paint The Clouds (7/1), who was third last season, went on to finish fourth in the Grade 3 Handicap Chase at Sandown Park and warmed up for this year’s race with an easy victory at Doncaster on February 24th.

Other entries include the Irish pair of Marito (7/1) and Aupcharlie (7/1), who fought out the finish to a point-to-point at Oldtown on February 7th, plus Pacha Du Polder (33/1), the intended mount of cycling convert Victoria Pendleton.

Related

Coral’s Cheltenham section contains all the latest news, previews and tips, so it’s well worth a visit with the Festival soon upon us.