A change in the race conditions of the four-mile National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup at Cheltenham on Wednesday week has resulted in a record entry announced today of 61. The amateur riders' contest is now for novices five-year-old and upwards.
The 17-strong entry from Ireland includes Pat Hughes' Billy The Snake and Timbera, winner of his last four races for Dessie Hughes.
There are 42 engaged in the Cathcart Chase Challenge Cup on Thursday including Barton, Best Mate and Knife Edge.
Irish-trained horses have won seven of the nine runnings of the Weatherbys Champion Bumper and account for 14 of the 46 entries in this year's renewal. Willie Mullins, who has won four of the last five runnings, has just one representative - Alexander Milenium, a 20-length winner on his only start at Leopardstown in December.
Mullins' brother, Tony, has two unbeaten entries, Supreme Developer and The Galway Man, while another with an unblemished record is Inca Trail, trained by Edward O'Grady.
Filed by Laura Reynolds
