Cheltenham excitement builds with big-race entries and ante-post advice
We witnessed plenty of top-class action in Britain and Ireland over the weekend and that's set to continue this week as we build towards another intriguing Saturday.
Monday
Chepstow and Musselburgh host the two jumps meetings to start the week, while entries for the weekend, including those at Kempton and Warwick, will be revealed.
For Flat fans, Wolverhampton hosts an all-weather card in the evening.
Tuesday
Tom Segal tackles the Champion Hurdle question in Tuesday's Pricewise – whether you're team Buveur D'Air, team Laurina or neither, it is worth a read!
Bangor and Ayr both host six-race cards over jumps, while Newcastle obliges with an evening all-weather card.
Wednesday
The Cheltenham Festival countdown is officially on as entries for the Gold Cup will be released and fans will be eagerly anticipating which horses will make the line-up.
For those who cannot wait until March, entries for the Betfair Hurdle, won last season by Kalashnikov, will also be published.
In terms of action, Doncaster and Taunton host jumps cards, while Lingfield and Kempton provide all-weather fare in the afternoon and into the evening.
Thursday
Entries for the Queen Mother Champion Chase and Ryanair will be announced. With last season's sensational winner Altior expected to be among the entries for the former – one wonders how many will dare to take him on in March?
Meanwhile, the Listed Charnwood Mares' Chase (1.45) takes centre stage at Leicester, while Catterick and Clonmel also host jumps meetings. Southwell is the sole all-weather meeting of the afternoon but Chelmsford takes over in the evening with an eight-race card.
Friday
Huntingdon's Chatteris Fen Juvenile Hurdle (2.30) usually attracts a decent field of promising young hurdlers and has been won in the past by the likes of Grade 1-winning chaser Sceau Royal and Fred Winter second Divin Bere.
Sedgefield provides the other jumps meeting of the afternoon, while Lingfield and Wolverhampton host all-weather fixtures in the afternoon and evening respectively.
Saturday
Kempton hosts its first jumps meeting of the new year, with the Listed 32Red Chase, won last year by subsequent Ascot Chase winner Waiting Patiently, and the Unibet Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle take centre stage.
Warwick also puts on a classy card with the Grade 2 Ballymore Leamington Novices' Hurdle and Grade 3 Classic Chase heading the line-up.
The former contest has been won in recent seasons by the likes of The New One and Willoughby Court, who both went on to Cheltenham victory that season. The 3m Listed Hampton Novices' Chase has also thrown up festival clues.
Elsewhere, Wetherby has a seven-race card for punters to solve, while Fairyhouse stages the BetVictor Dan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase .
Lingfield and Newcastle provide the all-weather fare for the afternoon and evening.
Sunday
Punchestown headlines Sunday's action with the Grade 2 Moscow Flyer Hurdle and Grade 3 Killiney Novice Chase. The former contest has a particularly striking roll of honour with Vautour, Douvan and Min striking for Willie Mullins in recent years.
Kelso is the sole jumps meet of the day in Britain, while Southwell hosts an all-weather card.
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Published on 7 January 2019inNews
Last updated 12:28, 7 January 2019
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- Access the Racing Post Digital Newspaper every night when you join Members' Club in time for the Cheltenham Festival
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