Big entries for Cheltenham handicaps

Captain Cee Bee is one of two former Supreme Novices' Hurdle winners entered for the Vincent O'Brien County Hurdle after a bumper crop of entries was confirmed for the Cheltenham Festival Handicaps.

Eddie Harty's veteran could also be joined by the Donald McCain-trained Cinders And Ashes, winner of the Supreme in 2012.

The Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle will obviously change shape as plans for the JCB Triumph Hurdle firm up, but 75 have been given the option including Grade One winner Guitar Pete, with the three that finished behind him - Tiger Roll, Plinth and Ivan Grozny - all engaged as well.

John Quinn has put in Pearl Castle, Rutherglen, Aurore D'Estruval and Forced Family Fun.

The largest Irish entry comes in the Coral Cup, where 38 of the 136 possibles are trained here.

Philip Fenton's Dunguib could be joined by the likes of David Pipe's French imports Dell 'Arca and Un Temps Pour Tout, as well as Far West and last year's winner Medinas.

Leading Grand National candidates Teaforthree and Triolo D'Alene are among 98 entries in the Festival Handicap Chase on the opening day of Cheltenham's big meeting on March 11.

Smart novices like Annacotty, Green Flag, Many Clouds and Sam Winner have the option along with Holywell, Tap Night, Shutthefrontdoor and Alfie Sherrin.

Also on the opening day is the Rewards4Racing Novices' Handicap Chase for which the likes of Manyriverstocross and Indian Castle have been entered.

Course specialists Balthazar King and Big Shu are among 37 entries for the Glenfarclass Cross Country Chase with the likes of Quantitativeeasing, Diamond Harry and Hey Big Spender also possibles.

A total of 70 have been entered for the Pertemps Final, which runners have had to qualify for by finishing in the first eight of any of the races of the series.

Fingal Bay, Top Wood and Josies Orders are three who won qualifiers along the way.

The Byrne Group Plate has 83 entries with Don Cossack given the option by Gordon Elliott.

Tranquil Sea and Time For Rupert, first and second in a veterans' race at Doncaster on Wednesday, may renew rivalry in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup and feature among 110 possibles.

The biggest entry was received for the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Hurdle, with David Pipe having 15 engaged in the race named in honour of his father.

Ballynagour and Doctor Harper could be joined by the likes of Lac Fontana and Splash Of Ginge.

The Johnny Henderson Grand Annual has 66 possibles with last year's winner Alderwood, smart novice Claret Cloak and Tony Martin's winner of the County Hurdle last year, Ted Veale, in the reckoning.