Joe and Marie Donnelly have seemingly toppled the likes of Rich Ricci as the pre-eminent owners of some of the finest jumps horses in training.

Others such as Robcour, Bective Stud and Gigginstown House Stud retain strong teams, but the famous yellow and black checked silks of the Donnelly string are now responsible for a host of top stars, with new ones emerging all the time.

Here's a look at their squad for the Cheltenham Festival in 2025.

Salvator Mundi

Sixth in the Triumph Hurdle last season on his first run for the Donnellys and trainer Willie Mullins, early wins at Tipperary and Punchestown this season propelled Salvator Mundi into favouritism for the opening Supreme Novices' Hurdle on March 11th.

His jumping in the Grade 2 Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle in January was less than convincing, but he showed a strong turn of foot when asked. His stablemate Kopek Des Bordes has usurped him after impressing at the Dublin Racing Festival, but there could be plenty more to come.

Sir Gino

Winner of the first six starts in his career and a horse of immense potential for Nicky Henderson, Sir Gino is the hot favourite for the Arkle on day one following a Christmas demolition of Ballyburn at Kempton in the 2m Wayward Lad Novices' Chase - his first outing over fences.

That he had won the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle by eight lengths a few weeks earlier on his comeback speaks only to the true star potential of Sir Gino.

He was an 11th-hour absentee from the Triumph Hurdle last March and that prize went to Majborough. Following his impressive Irish Arkle win, they seem destined to clash a year later in the Cotswolds.

State Man

He is the reigning and defending Champion Hurdler, but State Man is fairly friendless in terms of achieving more two-mile glory this time around.

He was beaten in his first two starts of the season by Brighterdaysahead indeed, obliterated on the second of those, and Lossiemouth fell before any serious action unfolded in the Irish Champion Hurdle leaving State Man to coast home.

He was no match for Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle of 2023 and now the former champ, still unbeaten, is back to try and reclaim his crown. It would be State Man's finest hour if he stays on top.

Dancing City

One of the Donnelly brigade that perhaps doesn't get the credit he deserves. Dancing City won three Grade 1s as novice over hurdles and finished third in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham last season.

He is already 2-2 since going chasing this season and beat the well-thought-of mare Bioluminescence in a Grade 3 at Naas in January.

A blockbuster clash with Ballyburn in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase looks to be in the offing.

Shanagh Bob

If there's a Donnelly-owned dark horse, then maybe it could prove to be Shanagh Bob.

He was fourth behind Dancing City in a Grade 1 at Aintree last season and, though things haven't gone to plan novice chasing this time around in two runs, his Huntingdon effort back over hurdles in late January off a mark of 129 in first-time cheekpieces was a reminder that he has ability as a stayer over timber.

He could turn up the Pertemps Final and with winning course-and-distance form at Cheltenham, shouldn't be forgotten.

Lulamba

While Sir Gino was denied a shot at the Triumph Hurdle last spring with Nicky Henderson's team under a cloud that forced several big names to sidestep Cheltenham completely, the Seven Barrows handler has another top Donnelly-owned contender now in Lulamba.

The French import won his only start at Auteuil and there were plenty of murmurs that he would be a leading contender for the juvenile race ahead of January's British bow at Ascot, where he readily put away a good horse in Mondo Man.

Henderson has won the Triumph a record seven times, though not since Pentland Hills in 2019.

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