• Frankie Dettori reveals he is filing for bankruptcy
• Greg Wood: Galopin Des Champs could earn ‘great’ tag

2.00 JACK RICHARDS NOVICE LIMITED HANDICAP CHASE, 2M 4F 127YD

A race that reverts back to handicap status after 10 years as a level-weights contest, including most recently as a Grade One. The switch has definitely had the desired effect on the field size, as 20 are due to go to post after meagre turnouts of eight, four, seven and 11 in the last four years as a Grade One, but the flip-side for punters is that while four of the last five winners were at single-figure odds, there is much more chance of an upset today. Gordon Elliott’s Firefox, who has raced in Grade One company in two of his last three starts, has emerged from the pack as the likely favourite, but he is giving weight to every runner bar Springwell Bay, a winner over course and distance at the New Year’s Day meeting. Caldwell Potter is another interesting runner, not least as a result of his price tag - £632,000 – when he was bought by a syndicate including Sir Alex Ferguson and the late John Hales at a major dispersal sale in Ireland in February 2024. He has been the beaten favourite on his last two starts but makes his handicap debut on what could yet prove to be a decent mark. Elsewhere in the field, Ireland is well represented and Terence O’Brien’s Answer To Kayf is one that caught my eye. He was a very impressive winner of his handicap debut at Naas in January, and while that race was on heavy ground, he has enough form on a sounder surface to suggest that today’s going will not be an issue.

Ryanair runner has a big chance to become only the second winner at the festival from across the Channel since 2005

While the Gold Cup on Friday revolves around the odds-on Galopin Des Champs and his bid for a third consecutive success, the Ryanair Chase over two and a half miles on Thursday is much more open, with live contenders from Britain, Ireland and France, and the prospect of seeing the bold front‑runner Il Est Francais tackling Cheltenham for the first time, with top-class opponents including Fact To File and Protektorat in hot pursuit, is one to savour.

Il Est Francais (3.20) was a clear leader for much of the way in the King George VI Chase at Kempton at Christmas before Banbridge reeled him in on the run to the last, and his devastating front-running success in the Kauto Star Novices Chase at the same meeting in 2023 was one of the best performances by a novice in recent years.

• Jockey O’Sullivan’s double from 2023 repeated at festival
• Jazzy Matty completes emotional second day at meeting

At the moment of his greatest racing triumph, after a lifetime in the sport as a spectator, an amateur jockey, owner and now a trainer, Barry Connell’s thoughts after Marine Nationale’s victory in the Queen Mother Champion Chase on Wednesday turned, immediately and inevitably, to Michael O’Sullivan, who rode the same horse to victory in the Supreme Novice Hurdle here two years ago and died last month, from injuries ­sustained in a fall.

“The obvious thing is how raw and poignant it’s all been over the last four weeks,” Connell said. “Michael and myself went on a journey with this horse, he rode him in all his races in his novice season over hurdles. He started as a 7lb claimer with us and I asked him to turn pro, and he ended up winning three Grade Ones as a claimer and was leading rider [with two wins] on the first day [at ­Cheltenham two years ago].

It was an emotional afternoon as Marine Nationale and Jazzy Matty – winners for late jockey Michael O’Sullivan in 2023 – both won again at Cheltenham

Preview: 2.40 The Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle, 2m 5f

This is always one of the fiercest betting heats of the week, and also one of the trickiest of all the races to solve, with just two successful favourites this century and winners at 50-1, 33-1 (twice) and 28-1 in the last dozen years alone. Dan Skelton fields the likely favourite in Be Aware as he attempts to complete a three-timer in this race, following victories for Langer Dan in each of the last two runnings, and while the old warrior in not in the field this time around, Henry de Bromhead’s Ballyadam, the three-and-a-half length runner-up 12 months ago, is back for another crack. Be Aware, a hold-up horse who is certain to get a strong pace to aim at, has run well in handicaps at Cheltenham and Ascot on his two previous starts this season, but his run-style means he will need some luck in running and punters are, frankly, spoiled for choice if they are looking for an alternative. JP McManus’s colours will be aboard a couple of very live runners in Impose Toi and Comfort Zone, while Tony Bloom, another owner who likes a punt, will have high hopes of Bunting, seventh home behind Majborough in last year’s Triumph Hurdle. Harry Fry’s Beat The Bat also seems sure to appreciate a return to this trip after an eye-catching run in the William Hill Handicap Hurdle last time and is possibly the pick of the prices at around 12-1.