Festival cross-country fancy Desertmore House to swerve Cheltenham on Friday - but Ireland does have one big-race hope this weekend

Desertmore House, the ante-post favourite for Friday’s Cross Country Handicap Chase at Cheltenham, will not take up the engagement with trainer Martin Brassil instead considering a hurdles race as part of the preparation for the ten-year-old’s first attempt at the festival’s cross-country contest in March.

Somewhat of a revelation since making the switch to the cross-country discipline, Desertmore House currently holds the clear second-favourite spot at a best-priced 6-1 for the festival race in March, with only last year’s winner Stumptown preceding him in the betting at 11-4.

The four-time chase winner had looked regressive over fences and was pulled up at 80-1 in last season’s Irish Grand National, but he excelled on his first try over the banks in the La Touche Cup at the Punchestown festival when second to Busselton at 9-1.