McNamara hoping for big run from Ponmeoath

Eric McNamara is hoping for a return to form with Ponmeoath in the William Hill Trophy at Cheltenham tomorrow.

McNamara told At The Races: "Ponmeoath is very well and he was fourth at Cheltenham last year (in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge).

"He has been a little bit disappointing in his last few starts but he seems to be in good shape now and we´re hoping for a big run."

The Tony Martin-trained Patsy Hall is the only other Irish challenger in the 15-runner three mile handicap.

An Accordion attempts to secure a second successive big handicap pot.

The David Pipe-trained gelding won the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster last month and side-stepped a crack at the Racing Post Chase as connections geared him towards Tuesday´s race.

Big-race partner Tom Scudamore was not in the plate last time but liked what he saw from the progressive chaser.

Scudamore said: "An Accordion ran a tremendous race last time in the Great Yorkshire Chase (Sky Bet) at Doncaster.

"He´s a young horse and hasn´t had much racing but he´s one that´s really improving for the experience.

"It´s a tough race tomorrow and he has gone up a bit in the weights for winning at Doncaster, but he seems to keep on improving.

"Ungaro certainly didn´t do the form any harm when he ran at Doncaster the time after that, so he´s a horse who´s definitely going in the right direction and he´s got a great chance."

Also among the opposition are former Festival winners Monkerhostin and King Harald, a revitalised Fundamentalist and Paul Nicholls´ Ofarel D´Airy.