Confirmed runners and riders for the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle

Blazing Khal will take on ten rivals in a hotly contested Stayers' Hurdle (3.30), the feature race of day three at the Cheltenham Festival on Thursday.

The Charles Byrnes-trained seven-year-old will be partnered by his son Philip, who rode him to success after a long absence in the Boyne Hurdle at Navan in February. He assumed command of the market after that run but there is little to separate many at the top of the betting.

Those include the dual winner of the race Flooring Porter. He has been below his best in two starts this season, finishing fourth to Home By The Lee in the Lismullen and Christmas Hurdles. The defending champion will have his regular partner Danny Mullins aboard.

A strong Irish challenge includes Teahupoo, a wide-margin winner of the Galmoy Hurdle, and Klassical Dream, a multiple Grade 1 winner who was fifth in the race last year. Ashdale Bob and Sire Du Berlais also feature.

There is a big French challenge in this year's race, spearheaded by the Gabriel Leenders-trained Gold Tweet, who was supplemented after winning the Cleeve Hurdle in January. Henri Le Farceur, a Grade 2 winner at Auteuil in December for trainer Hugo Merienne, similarly makes the journey.

The home side will be represented by just two runners, with Paisley Park looking the pick. The 2019 winner has an excellent record at Cheltenham and won the rearranged Long Walk in December, but was subsequently no match for Gold Tweet in the Cleeve Hurdle. Dashel Drasher, second in that particular race, has been declared by Jeremy Scott.

Stayers' Hurdle runners and riders

Ashdale Bob Keith Donoghue
Blazing Khal Philip Byrnes
Dashel Drasher Rex Dingle
Flooring Porter Danny Mullins
Gold Tweet Johnny Charron
Henri Le Farceur Felix de Giles
Home By The Lee JJ Slevin
Klassical Dream Paul Townend
Paisley Park Aidan Coleman
Sire Du Berlais Mark Walsh
Teahupoo Davy Russell

Shiskhin heads Ryanair field as Mighty Potter and Luccia declared

Shishkin will face eight rivals as he bids for a sixth Grade 1 victory in Thursday's Ryanair Chase (2.50).

The race was blown wide open by Allaho's absence and Shishkin, a dual Cheltenham Festival winner, bounced back to form last time when a dominant Ascot Chase winner.

That was his first try at the intermediate trip and the Nicky Henderson-trained nine-year-old has 7lb to spare on official ratings over his biggest threat Blue Lord, another multiple Grade 1 winner who steps up in trip after a 1-4 defeat at Leopardstown.

Willie Mullins will also be represented by Janidil, who lowered the colours of Haut En Couleurs in the Red Mills Chase at Navan. The Irish challenge is bolstered by Fury Road, Envoi Allen, French Dynamite and Chacun Pour Soi.

Paul Nicholls is represented by Hitman, who is yet to taste Grade 1 success, and Ga Law, the Paddy Power Gold Cup winner, runs for Jamie Snowden.

Mighty Potter, a banker of the week for many, spearheads the betting for the Turners Novices' Chase (1.30), in which he will face eight rivals including Appreciate It and Banbridge.

In the Grade 2 Jack de Bromhead Mares' Novices' Hurdle (4.50), hot favourite Luccia has been declared in a field of 21. Lot Of Joy and You Wear It Well are among her rivals.

Ryanair Chase runners and riders

Blue Lord TBC
Chacun Pour Soi TBC
Envoi Allen Rachael Blackmore
French Dynamite Darragh O'Keeffe
Fury Road Davy Russell
Ga Law Jonathan Burke
Hitman Harry Cobden
Janidil TBC
Shishkin Nico de Boinville

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