Confirmations for day one of the Cheltenham Festival: the key questions answered

The opening day of the Cheltenham Festival is just six days away and next Tuesday's fields are starting to take shape following Wednesday's confirmation stage. We have taken a look at some of the key questions regarding some of the stars due to line up on day one of the four-day spectacular.

Is Luccia still in contention for the Supreme?

Luccia, Britain's leading hope for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle (1.30), has been taken out of the race and does not feature among the 20 confirmations for the opening race of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival.

The Nicky Henderson-trained five-year-old had been a 6-1 chance for the 2m Grade 1, but now looks likely to take her place in the Jack de Bromhead Mares' Novices' Hurdle next Thursday instead, for which she is the 6-4 favourite. Her defection leaves Tolworth Hurdle winner Tahmuras as the shortest-priced British runner left in contention for the Supreme.

Ireland looks set to have a powerful team, notably from Willie Mullins, and who will line up for the powerhouse trainer remains unclear at this stage after he confirmed all of his leading novice hurdlers, including market leader Facile Vega and leading Ballymore Novices' Hurdle hope Impaire Et Passe.

The Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned five-year-old is the 2-1 favourite for the Ballymore next Wednesday but remains in the Supreme a day earlier – as does fellow Ballymore fancy Gaelic Warrior, who was also confirmed.

Mullins also has Grade 1 winner Il Etait Temps, Hunters Yarn, Dark Raven and Diverge among his seven confirmations, with In Excess the only one who was taken out.

Was Epatante supplemented for the Mares' Hurdle?

Epatante, winner of the 2020 Champion Hurdle, still remains among the confirmations for that race, but a tilt at the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle (4.10) looks like it could be her destination after connections supplemented her for the race at a cost of £4,599.

The nine-year-old has finished third and second in the last two runnings of the Champion Hurdle behind Honeysuckle, but if she was to line up in that race this time she would come up against her stablemate Constitution Hill, the odds-on favourite who has brushed her aside in the Fighting Fifth and Christmas Hurdle this season.

The Mares' Hurdle had previously been mentioned throughout the season as Epatante's preferred target and while human error from trainer Nicky Henderson meant she was not originally entered in the race, she is now in contention for the Grade 1.

The other nine confirmations include last year's winner Marie's Rock, Love Envoi and Brandy Love. Theatre Glory was also supplemented for Henderson.

Who might take on hurdling star Constitution Hill?

Honeysuckle, a brilliant winner of the last two runnings of the Unibet Champion Hurdle (3.30), remains among the 12 confirmations for this year's race and raises the possibility of a clash between her and rising superstar Constitution Hill. 

The star mare has been defeated twice this season, when runner-up in both the Hatton's Grace and Irish Champion Hurdle, which had prompted connections to target the Mares' Hurdle, a race she won in 2020 and for which she remains in contention this time.

However, they have left the door slightly open to taking on Constitution Hill and a bid for a third straight Champion Hurdle success, while fellow mare Epatante has also been confirmed for this race too alongside being supplemented for the Mares' Hurdle.

The other mares who were entered in the Champion Hurdle, Love Envoi and Echoes In Rain, have been taken out and are Mares' Hurdle-bound.

State Man, who swept aside Honeysuckle in the Irish Champion Hurdle, is still in contention to take on Constitution Hill and trainer Willie Mullins could also be represented by Vauban and Sharjah. The other notable confirmations include easy Kingwell Hurdle winner I Like To Move It and First Street.

What are the other key details to note on day one?

Appreciate It was the only one of the leading Willie Mullins-trained contenders to be taken out of the Sporting Life Arkle Chase (2.10) after he did not feature among 12 confirmations for the race at the six-day stage.

The nine-year-old was no match for stablemate El Fabiolo when third as the 11-8 favourite in the Irish Arkle at the Dublin Racing Festival and now looks set to step up in trip in the Turners Novices' Chase over 2m4f next Thursday That is his only remaining entry at the festival.

El Fabiolo, Dysart Dynamo and Saint Roi all look set to be among Mullins' strong Arkle team instead after standing their ground, while the Nicky Henderson-trained Jonbon, the leading hope for Britain, was also confirmed.

Banbridge, a Grade 2 winner over course and distance this season, also remains in contention despite also remaining a leading contender for the Turners.

Gaillard Du Mesnil, a big fancy for both the National Hunt Chase (5.30) and Brown Advisory Novices' Chase next Wednesday, looks set to take his chance in the former after he featured among 13 confirmations for the race.

He could face a strong team from Gordon Elliott, with Jamie Codd jocked up to ride Chemical Energy and Barry O'Neill on Minella Crooner, while Grade 2 winner Churchstonewarrior is among the seven Irish-trained runners still in contention.

Corach Rambler, Oscar Elite, Tea Clipper and Our Power – the first, third, fourth and fifth in last year's Ultima Handicap Chase (2.50) – are in contention once again and are among 37 confirmations, with final guaranteed runner of the maximum field of 24 at present the Ben Pauling-trained Slipway.

The same number of runners remain in contention for the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (4.50), with McTigue heading the weights.

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