Six stars to look forward to at Cheltenham and Punchestown

If you are a lover of jump racing, or of racing at all, then this weekend is one to savour.

Cheltenham and Punchestown are the headline acts with star names set to line up in the major contests at the courses. Here are some of the names you can look forward to seeing

Horse: Faugheen
Race: Unibet Morgiana Hurdle, Punchestown, Sunday

Why he’s a star
Dubbed ‘The Machine’ due to his succession of brilliant performances, including back-to-back Cheltenham Festival wins in the Neptune Novices’ Hurdle and the Champion Hurdle. Has been off the course since January 2016.

What we can look forward to
Faugheen’s return to the course has been eagerly anticipated, with injury keeping him off the course since his emphatic 15-length win in last year’s Irish Champion Hurdle. He returns in a fascinating Morgiana Hurdle which includes Jezki, another former Champion Hurdle winner, stablemate Vroum Vroum Mag, the exciting and unexposed Campeador and November Handicap hero Swamp Fox.

Special Tiara: Queen Mother Champion Chase winnerCredit: Patrick McCann

Horse: Special Tiara
Race: Shloer Chase, Cheltenham, Sunday

Why he’s a star
Brilliantly gusty front-runner who finally came good in last season’s Queen Mother Champion Chase after near misses in 2015 and 2016.

What we can look forward to
Special Tiara is back over the same course and distance as his greatest triumph and will once again be taking on Fox Norton, who was second at the festival in March. Adding to the fun is the appearance of Cloudy Dream, who lines up here after been erroneously being omitted from the BetVictor Gold Cup on Saturday.

Minella Rocco: standout performance at Cheltenham FestivalCredit: Edward Whitaker

Horse: Minella Rocco
Race: BetVictor.com Handicap Chase, Cheltenham, Saturday

Why he’s a star
A Cheltenham Festival winner last year and chased home Sizing John in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.

What we can look forward to
All roads lead back to the festival next year for Minella Rocco, who has produced two standout pieces of form at the meeting the last two years. He carries top weight in this contest and it will be intriguing to see how the seven-year-old performs on his return to this course.

Horse: Let’s Dance
Race: Frontline Security Grabel Mares Hurdle, Punchestown, Saturday

Why she’s a star
One of the bankers of last season’s Cheltenham Festival and helped bring up a fabulous four-timer for Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh on the Thursday of the meeting.

What we can look forward to
Bigger targets surely await Let’s Dance in the months ahead, but it will be good to see if she can get her head in front following two reversals on her final two starts. She is also the undoubted highlight of Ruby Walsh’s first day back in the saddle after some time off with a hand injury.

Horse: The New One
Race: Unibet Greatwood Hurdle, Cheltenham, Sunday

Why he’s a star
A multiple winner of 19 races and nearly £1 million in prize-money. Not bad for a horse who has faced plenty of harsh words during his career.

What we can look forward to
Champion jockey Richard Johnson is in the saddle as The New One attempts to give weight and a beating to his 15 rivals on Sunday. The New One has won six times at Cheltenham and never finished worse than sixth. It will take a typically brave performance from him to keep that record going this weekend in a field stacked with unexposed rivals.

Horse: Race: Mallow Hunters Chase, Cork, Sunday

Why he’s a star
The dominant hunter chaser of recent times, accomplishing the ‘double treble’ of the Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown Foxhunter titles in 2015 and 2016.

What we can look forward to
Last season was not as productive as the previous two for On The Fringe, who pulled up at Aintree and was fourth at Cheltenham. However, missing in those races was long-time ally Nina Carberry, who returns on the 12-year-old for the first time in over a year. Sunday’s race marks the first step on the road back to the spring festivals.

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