The Irish are here: who do the big guns have running at Cheltenham this weekend?

It is no secret that Irish-trained runners have dominated on British shores, with the Prestbury Cup at the festival becoming a formality in recent years.

Irish trainers have another strong team at Cheltenham's opening meeting this weekend, with the usual suspects joined by some up-and-coming prospects.

Can the Irish establish early dominance over their British counterparts at Prestbury Park? We have looked into their key chances on Friday and Saturday.

Gordon Elliott

Cheltenham strike-rate (last five years): 20-181 (11 per cent)
Runners this weekend: 16

Elliott is sending over a huge squad to the Showcase meeting and, given his Cheltenham record, his runners all need respect.

His squad is headlined by Pied Piper, who reopposes Knight Salute in the Masterson Holdings Hurdle (2.40 Saturday) after he was controversially demoted to second following their dead-heat in an Aintree Grade 1 in April.

Ash Tree Meadow won a pair of Perth handicaps impressively over the summer and is the pick of the weights in the 2m novice chase (2.10 Friday), while Tullybeg also has a number of options available to him.

Duffle Coat, a course-and-distance winner in November 2020, is another fascinating contender in the opening handicap hurdle on Friday (1.35).

Best chance:Pied Piper ended his juvenile campaign with a pair of placed efforts at Grade 1 level and was unfortunate not to win at Aintree having travelled much the best. He is a course winner and may exact revenge on the Milton Harris-trained Knight Salute.

Henry de Bromhead

Cheltenham strike-rate: 17-99 (17 per cent)
Runners this weekend: 3

De Bromhead has scooped most of the major prizes at the Cheltenham Festival and his superb strike-rate has returned a £35.78 level-stakes profit.

He has a trio of strong chances spearheaded by Champagne Gold, who runs in the novice handicap chase on Friday (3.20).

Centurion Steel is partnered by top amateur Barry O'Neill in the 3m1f amateur jockeys handicap chase (4.30 Friday) and Life In The Park, an easy winner on chasing debut last month, bids to remain unbeaten over fences in the 3m½f novice chase (4.25 Saturday). Barry Maloney, owner of Life In The Park, said of the five-year-old's chances: "You never really know and we'll learn more about him in this race but he looks an exciting prospect. He's showing all the right signs at home and we're excited by him.

"At the same time, he's still only five so he's got a lot to learn – some horses would only be going hurdling at his age."

Best chance:Champagne Gold got up by a neck to make a winning chase debut at Wexford in July and ran better than the bare result in a Grade 3 at Galway three weeks later. Down in grade off a potentially lenient mark, he has an obvious chance in a competitive heat.

Champagne Gold: a big player for Henry de BromheadCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

John McConnell

Cheltenham strike-rate: 5-28 (18 per cent)
Runners this weekend: 8

McConnell does not send his runners to Cheltenham often but when he does it is usually for very good reason, as his 18 per cent strike-rate for a healthy level-stakes profit of £16.88 suggests.

He has eight runners at Prestbury Park and two of them run in the colours of Derek Kierans. Rexem has won two of his three hurdling starts and has sound claims in the 3m novice hurdle (1.30 Saturday), while promising bumper horse Encanto Bruno has the services of Tom Scudamore in the finale (5.00 Saturday).

Mahler Mission, a Listed winner at Perth when last seen in April, also has a big chance at the weights in the 3m½f novice chase (4.25 Saturday), with McConnell pinpointing him as one to get excited about for the season. He said: "He was a proper hurdler and had a good time of things last season. This is his first start over fences and he's been schooling well at home.

"It looks a competitive race in terms of taking on horses who already have chasing experience, but we've always liked our horse. He's one we're really looking forward to for the season ahead so hopefully he runs a big race."

Best chance: No Troublegot his act together over hurdles last time with a seamless performance at Downpatrick under his regular partner Kieran Buckley. He is 15lb higher, which is harsh, but he will be suited by a strongly-run race and is unlikely to be far away.

Don't forget these . . .

Willie Mullins' runners are always to be feared, but particularly so at Cheltenham, a course at which he excels. He sends just one runner in Dads Lad, a comfortable winner at Killarney in August who should bounce back from a below-par hurdling run last time.

Effernock Fizz has been a revelation since joining fledgling trainer Cian Collins and she will bid to add to her Welsh Champion Hurdle victory gained this month.

There are several other Irish trainers sending runners, including Peter Flood, who sends each-way fancy Tullypole Annie to the Friday opener. In the same race, Denis Hogan has Wojood and he has further chances with Desert Friend and Macgiloney.

Norman Lee has sound claims with both Sole Pretender and She Is Electric, while Matthew Smith also sends over four, headed by Flaming Moon.

Cheltenham Friday running order and race times

1.35:Showcasing Sustainability Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle, 2m½f, RTV

2.10:squareintheair.com Novices' Chase, 2m, RTV

2.45:Ballymore Novices' Hurdle, 2m4f, RTV

3.20:888Sport Novices' Limited Handicap Chase, 2m4f, RTV

3.55:Abu Dhabi Digital Exchange Handicap Hurdle, 2m4f, RTV

Andrew Malam Lifetime In Racing Award Winner Amateur Jockeys' Handicap Chase, 3m1f, RTV

Foundation Developments Ltd Maiden Hurdle, 2m½f, RTV

Cheltenham Saturday running order and race times

888Sport Novices' Hurdle, 3m, RTV

888Sport Is Made To Play Handicap Chase, 3m1f, ITV4

Masterson Holdings Hurdle, 2m½f, ITV4

888Sport Handicap Chase, 2m, ITV4

3.50:Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle, 3m, ITV4

Jim Wilson Memorial Novices' Chase, 3m½f, RTV

Spirax-Sarco Engineering Sustainability Open National Hunt Flat Race, 2m½f, RTV

Read these next:

Welsh Champion Hurdle star Effernock Fizz poised for rare double at Cheltenham

Rachael Blackmore to miss rides at Cheltenham after schooling fall

The Big Jump Off is here! Dave Orton and leading Racing Post tipsters Paul Kealy and Tom Segal give us their exclusive views, analysis, ante-post tips and horses to follow for the 2022-23 National Hunt season. WATCH NOW.