Andrew Nelis racing

  Bob Olinger is a late absentee from Friday's Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle. Henry de Bromhead's hugely impressive Ballymore Novices' Hurdle winner was found to be coughing on the morning of the race. Having claimed a clean sweep of the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase and Gold Cup at Cheltenham, De Bromhead has yet to fire at Punchestown - and Gold Cup hero Minella Indo was also a late absentee with a stone bruise..       Andrew Nelis racing news and reviews 

  Willie Mullins launches a four-pronged assault as he bids to continue his dominance of the Coolmore Kew Gardens Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle at Punchestown. The champion trainer has saddled seven of the last 10 winners of Saturday's Grade One contest, with brilliant mares Annie Power and Benie Des Dieux both landing back-to-back renewals. This year's quartet is headed by Concertista, who was a beaten odds-on favourite at the Cheltenham Festival last month when touched off by Black Tears in the Mares' Hurdle.      Andrew Nelis racing  news and reviews 

  Exciting mare Echoes In Rain beat the boys with an impressive display in the eCOMM Merchant Solutions Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown. Trainer Willie Mullins had saddled seven previous winners of the Grade One contest, with Hurricane Fly (2009), Faugheen (2014) and Douvan (2015) among those on the roll of honour. This year the Closutton handler fired a twin assault, with dual Grade Two winner Echoes In Rain the 8-13 favourite under the trainer's son Patrick Mullins, and Blue Lord next best in the market at 15-8 in the hands of Paul Townend. CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL TUE 15, 13:20 WINNER Supreme Novices Hurdle SIR GERHARD 9/2 KILCRUIT 6/1 JONBON 10/1 DARK RAVEN 20/1 JOURNEY WITH ME 25/1 BRING ON THE NIGHT 25/1 I AM MAXIMUS 25/1 THREE STRIPE LIFE 28/1 HOB HOUSE 33/1 DODDIETHEGREAT 33/1 HUBRISKO 33/1 ELLE EST BELLE 33/1 DEPLOY THE GETAWAY 40/1 SHALLWEHAVEONEMORE 50/1 FIRESTEP 50/1 WALKING ON AIR 50/1 GERRI COLOMBE 50/1 TAX FOR MAX 50/1 HOLLOW GAMES 50/1 FLYING DEMON 66/1 RAMILLIES 6