betfair.com Jockeys´ Challenge Shaping Up

The battle to win this year´s betfair.com Jockeys´ Challenge at Aintree on Saturday, November 20, stepped up a gear yesterday following the publication of the five-day entries.

Kicking off this year´s challenge is the betfair.com 0870 90 80 121 Novices Hurdle (12.45pm), which has received 14 entries, including Cherub from the Jonjo O´Neill stable and a Grade One winner at Punchestown in April, Nicky Richards´ promising duo Sobraon and Turpin Green as well as No Refuge, formerly a Listed winner on the Flat for Sir Mark Prescott and now with Howard Johnson.

A total of 10 entries have been received for the second leg of the challenge, the Sharp Minds betfair Novices´ Chase (1.20pm). Included amongst these are the Nicky Henderson-trained Chauvinist, winner of the competitive Ladbroke Hurdle at Ascot in 2001. and Howard Johnson´s Chivalry, successful in the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket in 2003 before going on to win three of his four starts over hurdles last season.

Leg three of the British versus Irish jockeys competition, the betfair.com Jockeys´ Challenge Handicap Hurdle has 13 entries including Grey Report, second in the Grade One Sefton Novices´ Hurdle at Aintree last season while the bang in-form Martin Pipe could be represented by Ilnamar, victorious in the Grade One Aintree Hurdle in 2003 and Tango Royal.

Bringing the challenge to a close in spectacular fashion is the betfair.com Grand Sefton Handicap Chase, run over an extended two miles and five furlongs over the Grand National course, which has 24 entries. Last year´s winner Dark Room could attempt to follow up and is one of three entries for Jonjo O´Neill. Other interesting entries include Forest Gunner already a winner over the famous fences when taking the Fox Hunters Chase in April, and Cassia Heights, from the Grand National winning yard of Steve Brookshaw and also victorious over the big fences, having landed last season´s Topham Chase. There are also three entries from Ireland, including the 2001 Irish Grand National victor Davids Lad.

Former Liverpool FC boss Roy Evans and triple totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup winning jockey Jim Culloty will respectively manage the Great Britain and Ireland teams in the betfair.com Jockeys´ Challenge this year. Jim has stepped in to replace Norman Williamson, who will be working for the BBC on the day.

Alongside the managers, the Great Britain and Ireland teams will be captained by Grand National winning riders Carl Llewellyn and Tony Dobbin.

This is the second betfair.com Jockey´s Challenge of 2004, with Britain beating Ireland by 56 points to 38 in the first event at Limerick in July.

Last year´s betfair.com Jockeys´ Challenge at Aintree saw Great Britain overcome Ireland by 67 points to 30.

All races will be broadcast live by the BBC on Saturday.

The winning team receives the betfair.com Perpetual Trophy while the trainer whose horses score most points will get #1,000 and their yard will receive #2,000. The jockey gaining the highest level of points wins dinner, bed and breakfast and a four-ball at a top UK golf course. Additionally, the trainer and jockey scoring most points will be awarded a #1,000 donation to a charity of their choice.

The scoring system is 10 points for a win, 7 points for a second, 5 points for a third, 3 points for a fourth and one point for a fifth place. The team captains will make their selections following the overnight declaration stage on Friday.

Roy Evans, the Great Britain Team Manager, formed an integral part of Liverpool Football Club´s set-up since his playing debut in 1969. Having been an important member of the coaching team during a golden era at Anfield, he served as manager from 1994 to 1998 and nurtured the careers of players such as Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman. He also had a spell as Swindon´s manager in 2001.

Ireland´s manager Jim Culloty has won the last three renewals of the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup on the great Best Mate but is currently on the sidelines after breaking his thumb at Exeter on November 2.

Carl Llewellyn and Tony Dobbin are two of the most successful jockeys currently riding. Llewellyn has won the Grand National twice, aboard Party Politics in 1992 and Earth Summit in 1998, while Dobbin landed the world´s greatest steeplechase in 1997 on Lord Gyllene.

Carl said: 'Last year´s betfair.com Jockeys Challenge was a very successful event and I will be hoping to swot up on the form over the next few days to ensure that the British boys retain the title!'

Tony Dobbin added: 'Things didn´t go our way last year but with a bit more luck this time around I´m sure we can make it much more of a contest. All of the races look very competitive.'