Confirmed runners and riders for the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury on Saturday

Ante-post favourite Ocastle Des Mottes has been declared among a full field of 24 for the Betfair Hurdle (3.15) at Newbury on Saturday.

The five-year-old was bought by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede after winning for Gabriel Leenders at Auteuil in June, and will attempt to provide Willie Mullins with his first win in the £155,000 handicap if he is able to travel across the Irish Sea.

Mullins will now run three in the Betfair Hurdle after Onlyamatterofatime made the cut following the defection of Tellherthename on Friday. The race has filled for the first time since Pic D'Orhy's win in 2020.

Daryl Jacob will partner Ocastle Des Mottes in place of Danny Mullins following the cancellation of Warwick's Kingmaker card. Onlyamatteroftime's owner Paul Byrne will also be represented by Alvaniy, who will be ridden by Bryony Frost, while Brian Hayes will partner Onlyamatteroftime.

• 'He wouldn't have any problems if conditions became testing' - why this horse can win Saturday's Betfair Hurdle 

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Challow Hurdle runner-up Lookaway will attempt to go one better than when chasing home Captain Teague in Grade 1 company over 2m4½f in December.

Neil King drops his stable star back to the same 2m½f trip he tackled when splitting Iberico Lord and Luccia in the Greatwood Hurdle. Lookaway is 3lb better off with the Nicky Henderson-trained winner of that Cheltenham handicap, who will be partnered by Nico de Boinville, and with James Bowen riding stablemate Doddiethegreat, Luccia will be ridden by former Seven Barrows jockey David Bass.

Luccia was steered to victory by Paul O'Brien at Ascot last time but Harry Derham's stable jockey is committed to course-and-distance winner Brentford Hope. Luccia has been raised 4lb for that Betfair Exchange Trophy success in December with Altobelli, Moveit Like Minnie and Faivoir among those attempting to reverse the form.

Faivoir is one of three Dan Skelton-trained representatives along with Knickerbockerglory and L'Eau Du Sud, who is the choice of Harry Skelton. Chris Gordon won last year's Betfair Hurdle with Aucunrisque and will be hoping to combine with son Freddie for more big-race Saturday success with Our Champ, after landing last month's Great Yorkshire Chase with Annual Invictus.

Betfair Hurdle runners and riders

Luccia David Bass
Spirit D'Aunou Niall Houlihan
Faivoir Miss Heidi Palin (7)
Knickerbockerglory Tristan Durrell
Lookaway Jack Quinlan
Under Control Jonjo O'Neill Jnr
Tellherthename NON-RUNNER
Brentford Hope Paul O'Brien
Iberico Lord Nico de Boinville
Ocastle Des Mottes Daryl Jacob
Doddiethegreat James Bowen
Aurigny Mill Alan Johns
Kamsinas Jack Hogan (3)
Altobelli Jonathan Burke
L'Eau Du Sud Harry Skelton
Go Dante Sean Bowen
Norman Fletcher Sam Twiston-Davies
Jilaijone Jack Tudor
Our Champ Freddie Gordon (5)
Moveit Like Minnie Finn Lambert (5)
Alvaniy Bryony Frost
Yorksea Tom Cannon
Ito Ditto Sean Houlihan
Donnacha James Davies
Onlyamatteroftime Brian Hayes

Betfair Hurdle (3.15 Newbury, Saturday)

Betfair: 5 Ocastle Des Mottes, 8 Altobelli, Iberico Lord, 11 Lookaway, 12 Aurigny Mill, Spirit D'Aunou, 14 Brentford Hope, Kaminsas, Luccia, Under Control, 16 Go Dante, L'Eau Du Sud, 18 Doddiethegreat, 28 Knickerbockerglory, Norman Fletcher, Our Champ, 33 Alvaniy, Donnacha, Faivoir, Moveit Like Minnie, 40 Ito Ditto, Jilaijone, 100 Yorksea

Shishkin takes on four in Denman Chase

Shishkin will take on four rivals on his final start before the Gold Cup after all five entries stood their ground in the Betfair Denman Chase (2.05).

Shishkin: takes on four rivals in the Denman ChaseCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Nico de Boinville was unseated from Shishkin when the Joe Donnelly-owned ten-year-old stumbled after the second-last fence when leading the King George.

The pair will bid to make amends for that Boxing Day mishap in a Grade 2 which includes Fleur de Lys runner-up Protektorat. The nine-year-old has been winless in five starts since landing the Grade 1 Betfair Chase in November 2022. Last year's runner-up Hitman, Veterans' Final winner Sam Brown and Does He Know complete the line-up.

Edwardstone beat only one rival when tackling a longer trip in last month's Silviniaco Conti Chase and the 2022 Arkle winner reverts to 2m½f for the Betfair Exchange Game Spirit Chase (2.40).

Boothill bids to bounce back from his fall in the Desert Orchid chase which was won by the reopposing Editeur Du Gite. Dual course-and-distance winner Amarillo Sky will make his first appearance for 378 days and Funambule Sivola goes for a hat-trick in Grade 2. Calico compleres the six-runner line-up.

Orr said: "We have flip-flopping faveourites in the Game Spirit with Edwardstone proving popular at 2-1. He is 6-4 now and Boothill is 2-1 from 6-4. Of the outsiders, Amarillo Sky is a positive having been backed from 14-1 to 8-1."

Betfair Denman Chase (2.05 Newbury, Saturday)

Betfair: 8-11 Shishkin, 2 Protektorat, 10 Hitman, 14 Does He Know, 25 Sam Brown

Betfair Exchange Game Spirit Chase (2.40 Newbury, Saturday)

Betfair: 6-4 Edwardstone, 2 Boothill, 7 Editeur du Gite, 8 Amarillo Sky, 9 Funambule Sivola, 16 Calico

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