DerekO’Connor Straight to thePoint Ex-Irish pointers have stageto shineinthe festival limelight

NEXTweek’s Cheltenham Festival gives ahostofformer Irish point-to-point winners achanceto shine on the biggeststage in jump racing.

Needlesstosay,the Champion Hurdle favourite Constitution Hill is the star attraction. He’s been a sensation on the trackfor Nicky Henderson since finishingsecond in amaiden at Tipperaryracecoursefor Warren Ewingtwo seasons ago.

I’ll alsobetakingabig interest in his stablemateJonbon, who takes on averystrongIrish teaminthe Arkle Irodehim to winfor Ellmarie Holden at Dromahane in the 2020 autumn campaign.Constitution Hill isthe only horse to have beaten him

Another of the Henderson bigguns is Shishkin, who hasalot of confidence behind him in the Ryanair.Hestartedout with Virginia Considine in County Meathand won at Lingstownin2018.

Gerri Colombe,the Gordon Elliotttrainedfavourite for the Brown Advisory was a Lingstown winner for Colin Bowe.The County Wexford venuewas alsowhereGold Cup fancyBravemansgame wonfor Donnchadh Doyleatthe startofhis career

Noble Yeats(Donie Hassett) and Conflated (Eddie Hales) areother point-to-pointgraduates to look out for in the Gold Cupand we shouldn’t forgetShark Hanlon’sHewick, who hadsuch afabulous campaign in 2022, winningthe bet365 Gold Cup, the Galway Plate,and theAmerican Grand National Hurdle at FarHills This is alreadyanincredible ragsto-riches story. RachelO’Neill boughthim for €850 at Goresbridge and, unlikeall theothers I’ve mentioned, he didn’t distinguish himself in point-to-points.Infact,his recordofUFF in points mighthave made alesserman than Sharkgive up on him

ThePaulNicholls-trainedChallow Hurdle winner Hermes Allen is abig fancyfor the Ballymore. He rantwice in points forCarolineMcCaldin, winningatKirkistown in November 2021.

CorbettsCross,arecentaddition tothe JP McManusteam, could lead the Irish challenge for the Albert Bartlett. Formerly trainedbyEugene O’Sullivan, whosedaughter Maxine wononhim at Kildorrery,Corbetts

Crosswon three races on the track for the Lombardstown stablebefore joiningEmmet Mullins

This year’s Weatherbys

Champion Bumper hasa strong point-to-point flavour. Theante-post favourite,It’s ForMe, an impressiveNavan winner in January, is aWillie Mullins-trained geldingwho wonamaiden at LoughanmorelastApril for the Crawfordbrothers.

That wasdefinitelyan informative maiden because the third horse, Rock My Way, producedbyWarren Ewing,won aGrade 2event at Cheltenhamand is due to takehis chance in the AlbertBartlett.

ThreeofWillie’s other possible bumper runners also startedoff in points.Chapeau De Soleil wonatStowlinlastMay for Colin Bowe,Western Diego scored at

Carrigarostig earlylastyear for Mark Scallan, and Fact To File wasa Belharbour winner for Donnchadh Doyle last season.

Gordon Elliott’sBetterDaysAhead is another Warren Ewing graduate.I gotaview of him from behind when he beat ahorse Irodefor Ellmarie Holden at Lisronaghlastseason. He wasn’t suited by aslowgallopwhen he wasbeaten at Down Royalinhis firstbumperbut looked very good again when beatingChapeau De Soleil at Fairyhouse.

John McConnells’s Mahler gelding EncantoBruno wonatCheltenham in Octoberafter scoringatCorkin the summer.Hestartedoff with Colin Motherwayand wasa debut winner at BallynoelastMarch It would be asurpriseiftherewas aBritish-trainedwinner of the bumper,but Paul Nicholls hasanice prospectinCaptain Teague,aneightlength winner at Knockanard for Colin Bowe lastseason. He’s ahalfbrother to festival winner SkyPirate, who wonthe Grand Annual for Jonjo O’Neill.

I’M DUEtoride Mister Coffey for NickyHenderson in the National Hunt Chase. He’sa lovely bighorse,asecondseason novice with plenty of experience,includingagood run when finishingsecond for Sam Waley-Cohen in lastyear’s KimMuir

He didn’t do himself justiceinthe Topham on his final startlastseason butran well when second to aracefit rivalonhis reappearance at Chepstow and Iwas happywithhim when Irodehim for the first time at Uttoxeter last month.

He couldn’t quite to grips with the Charlie Longsdon-trainedGuetapan Collonges, whoisnow favourite for the Midlands National at Uttoxeter onSaturdayweek.

Hisprevious experience of the trackshouldbeahelp,but there’sno doubt the Irish challenge is powerful. TheWillieMullins-trainedGaillard Du Mesnil is alreadya Grade 1 winner,and we know he stays because he wasthirdinlastseason’s Irish Grand National. Willie canalso call on Ramillies,and Gordon Elliott’sChemical Energy also looksa strong contender Twoofthe other main Irish hopes, Churchstonewarrior and Mahler Mission, winner and second respectively in the TenUpNovice Chase at Navan, startedoff in points IrodeChurchstonewarrior when he went very closeonhis debutat Kildorrery as afive-year-old and he’s beenaconsistentand genuine horse for JonathanSweeney.

Ridinginthe National Hunt Chase is alwaysahighlight of the season for anyamateurrider.I’vebeenlucky enough to winittwice,onChicago Grey for Gordon Elliottand on Minella Rocco for JonjoO’Neill,and I’ll be hopingtoequal Patrick Mullins and Jamie Codd, the only riderstohavewon it three times in modern times

It’s shapinguptobeagreat week and abrilliantplatformfor some of the mostexcitinghorseswho have startedoff in point-to-points.