Lalor and Dynamite Dollars head Arkle entries at festival

Leading Racing Post Arkle hopes Lalor and Dynamite Dollars are among 31 contenders for the Cheltenham Festival.

Already old rivals, after a win each in their two clashes to date this season, Kayley Woollacott’s Lalor and Paul Nicholls’ Dynamite Dollars are joined by Kalashnikov – from Amy Murphy’s yard – as possibles for the twomile Grade One on March 12.

Leopardstown winner Le Richebourg is an eye-catching name for Joseph O’Brien, one of 18 Irish entries in the Arkle – along with 29 of 52 in the JLT Novices’ Chase on March 14, and 19 of 48 in the RSA Insurance Novices’ Chase the previous day.

Ireland’s great hope, Delta Work, representing Gordon Elliott’s stable, is in line to take on a home contingent led by Nicky Henderson’s Santini and Nicholls’ Top of the game in the staying novice championship.

Colin Tizzard’s Lostins translation has headed the JLT market since his win in the Grade Two BetBright Dipper Novices’ Chase over the same near two-and-a-halfmile course on New Year’s Day.

The seven-year-old may head first to Sandown’s Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase next month, his trainer confirmed.

Among his possible opponents back at Cheltenham are Irishtrained pair Winter Escape, formerly with Alan King in Wiltshire but flourishing in the care of Aidan Howard, and Henry de Bromhead’s Cheveley Park Stud-owned A Plus Tard.

Warren Greatrex’s mare La Bague Au Roi – winner of the Kauto Star Novice Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day in front of Top of the game and Santini, and due to head across the Irish Sea to the Dublin Racing Festival next–has-an-option-in-both the JLT and over three miles in the RSA.

McManus is the most successful owner in the history of the National Hunt Chase, with six victories–and-as-well-as-Ok Corral, he has Glenloe among eight entries.