UNDER STARTER’S ORDERS...
STATUE FOR THE REAL McCOY
A LIFESIZE bronze statue of 20-time champion jockey Sir Anthony McCoy (below), by Dublin-based sculptor Paul Ferriter, will be unveiled on the Best Mate Plaza, by the course’s north entrance, at 10.45am today.
WELCOME BACK, CHAMPS
FESTIVAL legends Big Buck’s (four-time winner of the Stayers’ Hurdle), Long Run (2011 Gold Cup winner), Denman (2008 Gold Cup winner) and The Giant Bolster (placed three times in Gold Cup) will be paraded in the paddock at 12.30pm.
NICKY’S SIX APPEAL
NICKY HENDERSON has two shots at history today. Odds-on favourite Altior bids to give him a record sixth win in the Arkle Chase, while victory for Brain Power, Buveur D’Air or My Tent Or Yours would hand a record sixth Champion Hurdle crown to the Lambourn trainer.
IS MELON RIPE FOR SUCCESS?
MELON, the talking horse all season in the Willie Mullins stable but with little form to go on with a solitary Leopardstown win against his name, will try to become the least experienced horse to win the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle for 25 years. Nicky Henderson’s Flown had also had only one run over obstacles in 1992.
TRIBUTE TO McNAMARA
TODAY’S National Hunt Chase is being run in memory of Irish amateur JT McNamara (right), who was paralysed by a fall at the 2013 Festival and died last summer. McNamara won the race twice — Rith Dubh (2002) and Teafortree (2012). Widow Caroline will present the trophy.
PIPE DREAM IN THE BIG ONE
MOON RACER, trained by David Pipe, bids to become the first novice to win the Champion Hurdle since Make A Stand, who was trained by Pipe’s father Martin in 1997.
NO STOPPING MULLINS MARES
THE Mares’ Hurdle is run for the 10th time today and Irish champion trainer Willie Mullins has won the last eight. The fancied Limini and Vroum Vroum Mag bid to make it nine on the bounce.
A PETIT SQUABBLE
PETIT MOUCHOIR (Champion Hurdle) and Apple’s Jade (Mares’ Hurdle) were among the 60 horses removed from Mullins’s stable in September in a spat over training fees. They are the first of owner Michael O’Leary’s charges to take on their old boss in one of many fascinating subplots this week.