High-class Novice Hurdles add further spice to Festival.

Cheltenham´s three championship novice hurdles, traditionally among the most hotly-contested events of the National Hunt Festival, look set to again attract big fields in March following today´s publication of entries for the contests.

The Festival´s opening race on Tuesday, March 16, the LETHEBY & CHRISTOPHER SUPREME NOVICES´ HURDLE, which is sponsored by Cheltenham´s long-term caterers for the first time this year, has 106 entries. The ROYAL & SUNALLIANCE NOVICES´ HURDLE, run on Wednesday, March 17, has 113 horses entered while the JCB TRIUMPH HURDLE, the championship for four-year-olds on Thursday, March 18, has a record 125 horses engaged.

The Jonjo O´Neill-trained Lingo is currently favourite for the Letheby & Christopher Supreme Novices´ Hurdle following his success in the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown while the 30-strong entry from Ireland includes Mariah Rollins, winner of the Grade 1 Future Champion Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown on December 27. There are also three entries from France and one from Germany.

Smurfit Champion Hurdle entry Inglis Drever is more likely to run in the Royal & SunAlliance Novices´ Hurdle, for which he will be a warm order following two impressive wins. His possible rivals include the 2003 Weatherbys Champion Bumper second Trabolgan, and intriguingly the Paul Nicholls-trained Cornish Rebel could take on his year-younger half-brother Inexorable, winner of his last three starts in Ireland for owner Michael O´Leary, the Ryanair chief executive. Both horses are also siblings of dual Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Best Mate. Ireland´s 35 entries also include Watson Lake, winner of the Grade 3 Golden Cygnet Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown on January 25.

The record 125 JCB Triumph Hurdle entries, which beats the previous highest number of 123 in 2001, include the Alan King-trained Trouble At Bay, winner of his last four starts, most recently the Steel Plate Trial Juvenile Novices´ Hurdle at Cheltenham on New Year´s Day, Mondul, who landed the Wragge & Co Finesse Junior Hurdle at Cheltenham on January 24, while the seven entries from France include Val Du Don and Meryl, who finished second and third in that event. Among the 38 Irish-trained entries is Hasanpour, who carries the same Gay Smith colours worn to victory by Spectroscope in 2003. Charlie Swan´s charge, bought for 150,000 guineas at Tattersalls Sales in October, scored by 10 lengths on his hurdling debut at Cork on January 18. There are a string of other expensive sales purchases entered including the Howard Johnson-trained Astronomic and Rayshan, purchased by Graham Wylie respectively for 190,000gns and 140,000gns and yet to run over hurdles, the Jonjo O´Neill-trained Englishtown, who cost 130,000gns and is also untested over hurdles, while better is expected from the Paul Nicholls-trained Kjetil, who cost 170,000 euros at Goffs France but was only fifth on his debut.

The maximum number of runners for each of these three championship races drops this year to 24 from 28 following a pre-season review of safety factors.

Edward Gillespie, Managing Director of Cheltenham Racecourse, commented: 'The championship novice hurdles begin each day of the National Hunt Festival in great fashion and we look forward to three exciting events this year.'

» Letherby & Christopher Supreme Novices Hurdle Entries.

» Royal & SunAlliance Novices´ Hurdle Entries.

» JCB Triumph Hurdle Entries.