'I'm going into it thinking he's got a lovely chance' - this week's key Cheltenham Festival quotes

Possibly our fella ballooned the first and hopefully that run will get him used to the English white fences. Even though he's schooled over them at home, he didn't seem as happy over them there as he did in March. Hopefully by the time this March comes we'll have all of that ironed out.
Willie Mullins believes the white obstacles played a factor in Energumene's shock defeat in the Clarence House Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday

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I know for sure Alan King and Willie Mullins won't be letting me have that sort of lead in a Champion Chase, but my fellow has won three around Cheltenham now, including a Grade 1, so I'll dream a dream.
Niall Houlihan thinking of Champion Chase glory on Editeur Du Gite after a superb front-running ride to see off market leaders Energumene and Edwardstone in the Clarence House Chase

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Shishkin isn't in the Champion Chase and the plan is to go over further in the Ascot Chase on February 18. I'm then hoping we go for the Ryanair with him.
Despite some calls for last season's Champion Chase favourite Shishkin to be supplemented for this year's race, his trainer Nicky Henderson reiterated that he plans to step his dual Cheltenham Festival winner up in trip

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In my heart it doesn't mean anything and we’re still on for the Gold Cup. I had to get him really ready for Haydock and I did and I know how to do it, but if you come here as well as Haydock, you ain't going to come out of it in time to go and peak for a Gold Cup. His Haydock run will be overlooked because he's finished fourth today and been underwhelming, but I know why it's happened. I trusted him and I thought I'd done enough, but the evidence suggests that wasn't the case.
Dan Skelton refuses to be disheartened after Betfair Chase winner Protektorat could only manage fourth in the Cotswold Chase, for which he was sent off favourite

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Protektorat: Betfair Chase winner still firmly on course for Gold Cup after Cotswold Chase fourthCredit: John Grossick

We're a bit nervous about the ground with him so we're not going to give ourselves any temptation to run him and we'll just go straight to Cheltenham.
Gordon Elliott opts for Conflated not to defend his Irish Gold Cup crown and instead go straight to the Gold Cup

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I think the Gold Cup is an open race. I'm dead happy Bravemansgame was in his box watching on Saturday. I wouldn't have wanted to run him on that testing ground and I didn't feel like I needed to give him a run. We'll hopefully have him at his best on some nice spring ground in March. He looks really well and I'm going into it thinking he's got a lovely chance.
Champion trainer Paul Nicholls reflects on the Gold Cup picture after the Cotswold Chase

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The previous time I didn't have a clue how he would get on as he came from the point-to-point field. This time, I thought if we can get him in the top three I won't look stupid for the entries we have made for the Ballymore and the Albert Bartlett, and I'm glad about that.
Syd Hosie after Rock My Way secured the owner-trainer his first Graded success in the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle on Trials day at Cheltenham

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By running him, we should find out and I'd sooner my balloon burst against a good horse in a Grade 1 than getting beaten in an ordinary race, although maybe some of the Irish will look at what Rock My Way did and fear us. It will also help as a pointer for the Cheltenham Festival and whether we go for the Ballymore or Albert Bartlett.
Jimmy Wenman, joint-owner of Weveallbeencaught, on the prospect of flying the flag for Britain at the Dublin Racing Festival

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It was absolute rubbish. He's fine. He galloped on Saturday and is in good form and is going to work tomorrow. I'm very happy with where we are and we'll start his build-up to Cheltenham now.
Henderson dismisses social media speculation that odds-on Champion Hurdle favourite Constitution Hill had had a setback

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She's in the Champion Hurdle and needs to be supplemented for the Mares' Hurdle, but will be if necessary – that's easily done. Nobody is going to decide right this minute and she could go either way.
Henderson keeps festival options open for Epatante after the 2020 Champion Hurdle heroine got back to winning ways in a Grade 2 mares' hurdle at Doncaster on Saturday

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She will be more at home in a faster-run race. I'm not sure she is sharp enough at two miles when she steps up in grade so I would imagine the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham will be her next port of call.
Mullins on Echoes In Rain after she was cut to 6-1 from 10-1 by Paddy Power for the Mares' Hurdle following her success in the Limestone Lad Hurdle at Naas on Sunday

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Princess Zoe: set for the Cheltenham Festival after dead-heating on her hurdles debutCredit: Patrick McCann

I was surprised when Danny [Mullins] told me that because she was gassy early on, he thinks she didn't get home. So at the moment the logical way looks to be the Mares' Novice instead of the Albert Bartlett. She has taken to jumping well. She was brave and I was very happy with that.
Tony Mullins after his Group 1-winning mare Princess Zoe dead-heated on her hurdes debut at Punchestown on Monday

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We think she's a very smart mare. She wasn't straightforward today so there could be some improvement, but it was a good run and we're very happy. We'll definitely look at the Mares' Novice Hurdle – she loves Cheltenham.
Fergal O'Brien hopeful he can return to Cheltenham with Bonttay, who won two bumpers at the track last season, after she got off the mark over hurdles at Exeter on Wednesday

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We originally bought him to run in the Triumph Hurdle but when we went to geld him last year there were complications and he almost died. We didn't manage to get him out until Christmas. Looking at that, I imagine we'll go for the Supreme instead of the Ballymore. He's a very sharp horse.
Willie Mullins after Diverge bolted up at Punchestown on Monday to further strengthen his Cheltenham novice hurdle options

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The track probably suited him and he definitely deserves his chance at Cheltenham in whatever race. I wouldn't mind riding him anyway.
Jonjo O'Neill Jr hoping to keep the ride on Joseph O'Brien's Comfort Zone after steering him to victory in the Grade 2 Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle 

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He's ultra-consistent, always runs his race and ran really well in a hot handicap last time. He deserves a big-race or Saturday win. I stuck him in the Coral Chase at Kempton earlier in the week and it's certainly a possibility he goes to Cheltenham too.
Milton Harris is eyeing a tilt at the Craft Irish Whiskey Co. Plate with Jacamar after the eight-year-old's confidence-boosting win at Leicester on Wednesday

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Read these next:

'It's hard to believe he's still 25-1' - five Cheltenham clues from last week 

'25-1 is too big' - ante-post value for the Cheltenham Festival novice hurdles 

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