What's on this week: the Cheltenham Festival takes centre stage and awaits an Irish assault on its major prizes

Monday

It's the calm before the storm as jump racing braces itself for the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday, but there's still action to be had across Britain with fixtures at Plumpton, Taunton and Stratford.

Taunton's 3m4½f handicap chase (3.40) features some familiar big-race handicappers, including Enrilo and Broken Halo, who seek to enhance trainer Paul Nicholls' impressive 40 per cent strike-rate heading into the festival.

Playful Saint, last seen finishing third in the 2023 Imperial Cup, makes his first appearance in over a year at Stratford (2.50) for Dan and Harry Skelton, while Plumpton's £20,000 handicap hurdle (3.30) has attracted just four runners, including course-and-distance winners San Pedro and Jerrash.

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Tuesday

All eyes turn to Prestbury Park as the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle (1.30) lifts the curtain on the 2024 Cheltenham Festival. 

Willie Mullins is primed for a flying start to the meeting with Supreme favourites Mystical Power and Tullyhill, before wielding another dangerous hand in the My Pension Expert Arkle (2.10) with declared runners Gaelic Warrior, Il Etait Temps and Hunters Yarn.

British hopes of victory on Tuesday could rest in the Ultima (2.50), with the Kim Bailey-trained pair of Chianti Classico and Trelawne, who are well fancied to continue the home team's dominance in the 3m1f contest.

The Unibet Champion Hurdle (3.30) headlines Tuesday's card but is without its star player in Constitution Hill. State Man steps into his spot at the top of the market and faces up to seven rivals, with Nicky Henderson saddling Iberico Lord and Luccia in place of last year's winner.

Lossiemouth: heads the market for the Mares' Hurdle at CheltenhamCredit: John Grossick

Attention will be on Lossiemouth in the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle (4.10) as she steps up to two and a half miles for the first time against this race's regulars Marie's Rock, Love Envoi and Echoes In Rain. The card is closed out by the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (4.50) and the Maureen Mullins National Hunt Chase (5.30), which has garnered the smallest field of the day with seven runners.

More jumps racing takes place at Sedgefield and all-weather action at Newcastle and Southwell round off the day.

Wednesday

Day two of the Cheltenham Festival is headlined by the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (3.30), in which El Fabiolo and Jonbon look to renew their rivalry against Edwardstone, Elixir De Nutz and last year's runner-up Captain Guinness.

The highly regarded Ballyburn is the horse to follow in the card's opening Gallagher Novices' Hurdle (1.30) as part of another strong hand for Willie Mullins, who saddles a fellow odds-on chance in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase (2.10) with Fact To File.

British-trained runner Stay Away Fay will bid to deny Mullins in the 3m½f contest and Paul Nicholls will take up duties again in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper (5.30), with Teeshan the pick of his three possible runners.

Gordon Elliott has dominated the Glenfarclas Chase (4.10) over the cross-country fences and Delta Work returns in the hunt for a third success against 2021 Gold Cup winner Minella Indo and last year's runner up Galvin, while the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual (4.50) and the Coral Cup (2.50) are sure to attract competitive handicap fields.

Action also comes from Huntingdon, Newcastle and Kempton, where Rossa Ryan will bid to continue his strong run of form on the all-weather circuit.

Thursday

The Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle (3.30) has thrown up double-figure-priced winners for five of the last seven years and Thursday's feature brings together old faces and new in a fascinating clash at Cheltenham.

Paisley Park, Sire Du Berlais and Flooring Porter have all claimed the day-three highlight and return in search of glory, but the up-and-coming Crambo and Grand National winner Noble Yeats add an intriguing dimension to the race, and everything is primed for a thrilling finish up the Cheltenham hill.

Day three of the festival also includes novice Grade 1 action in the Turners Novices' Chase (1.30), in which Dan Skelton and Paul Nicholls could go head-to-head with exciting runners Grey Dawning and Ginny's Destiny, and several former Gold Cup runners drop back in trip for the Ryanair Chase (2.50), including last year's third Conflated for Gordon Elliott.

Grey Dawning: entered for the Turners on Thursday for Dan and Harry SkeltonCredit: Edward Whitaker

Unbeaten records are on the line in the Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle (4.50), with Brighterdaysahead, Dysart Enos and Jade De Grugy all vying to come out on top, and Thursday's handicaps are not short of action either with competitive markets for the Pertemps Final (2.10), Trustatrader Plate (4.10) and the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir (5.30).

Lucinda Russell saddles Ahoy Senor for the Ryanair Chase but she may also have an eye on Hexham, the only other jumps card in Britain, for the feature marathon chase (2.30). She has won the race three times in the last seven years and has three entered, with leading conditional Patrick Wadge already jocked up on Return Fire.

All-weather evening cards complete the day at Southwell and Chelmsford.

Friday

The Cheltenham Festival ends on a high with the much-anticipated Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup (3.30) and the stage is set for a blockbuster finale featuring the sport's best chasers.

Galopin Des Champs is a rightful favourite after his victory last year over Bravemansgame but he has twice suffered defeat since to Fastorslow and his victory in the Irish Gold Cup last time out has not eliminated all doubts.

Shishkin confronted misfortune in the King George but showed his class with success in the Denman Chase and rates as Britain's leading chance, with L'Homme Presse not far behind. However, a late charge from Hewick or Grand National winner Corach Rambler is not out the question and everything is to play for in what could be a spellbinding mix of tactics, talent and luck.

Shishkin: dual festival winner heads to the Gold Cup on FridayCredit: Mark Cranham

The showpiece event is preceded by Grade 1 offerings in the JCB Triumph Hurdle (1.30) and the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (2.50) alongside the BetMGM County Hurdle (2.10), which was won last year by Dan and Harry Skelton with Faivoir at 33-1.

Once the excitement of the Gold Cup has died down, the amateur jockeys get their chance to complete the same course in the St James's Place Festival Challenge Cup  (4.10) before the Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase (4.50) and Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle (5.30) bring the festival to its conclusion.

Meetings also take place at Ffos Las and Fakenham, which hosts the £20,000 Silver Cup (4.25), and Newcastle and Wolverhampton stage all-weather evening fixtures.

Saturday

The bet365 Midlands Grand National is the pick of the action on Saturday and Uttoxeter's feature race has attracted several marathon regulars. Mr Incredible and Iron Bridge both hold Aintree entries but the market is led by Inis Oirr, who swept clear by 21 lengths in the Edinburgh National last time out.

Uttoxeter also runs a £100,000 handicap hurdle (2.25) sure to lure a strong field to boost the undercard, while more action takes place at Kempton and Newcastle.

Jump racing returns to Ireland for the first time since Sunday at Thurles where the card is headlined by the Grade 3 Pierce Molony Memorial Novice Steeplechase, won last year by subsequent Grade 1 scorer Flame Bearer.

The evening is occupied by all-weather cards at Wolverhampton and Southwell.

Sunday

After revelling in the delights of Britain's best jumps meeting of the year, it is only fitting the week ends with a day of exclusive jumps action.

Huntingdon and Chepstow stage fixtures in Britain while in Ireland racing takes place at Down Royal and Wexford, whose afternoon card is headlined by a valuable 2m handicap hurdle (3.42).

Read more: 

Late switches, a wide-open Supreme and Nicky Henderson's stable form - talking points for the opening day at Cheltenham 

Confirmed runners and riders for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, Champion Hurdle and Tuesday's other Cheltenham races 

'I think he's got a stone in hand' - our Ultimate Cheltenham Preview panellists give their festival bankers 

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