Chelltenham Festival 2018 – Un De Sceaux heads Ryanair Chase entries
Willie Mullins' exuberant chaser Un De Sceaux, seeking to become the second two-time winner of the race after Albertas Run, is one of 44 entries for the Ryanair Chase.
DEFENDING champion Un De Sceaux is one of 44 entries unveiled for the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
Last year's winner, trained by Willie Mullins, made an impressive return to action when galloping all over his rivals in bottomless ground in the Hilly Way Chase at Cork.
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The Irish trainer is responsible for 14 of the entries in total, including Douvan, Min and Yorkhill, who along with Un De Sceaux all also hold entries over a shorter trip in the Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Ladbrokes Trophy winner Total Recall, Killultagh Vic and Djakadam are also among those to be given the Ryanair option by Closutton-based Mullins.
Nicky Henderson has won this twice with Fondmort and Riverside Theatre and he has three entries this year.
Top Notch chased home Yorkhill in the JLT Novices' Chase last March and is firmly in the mix, along with stablemates Gold Present and L'Ami Serge.
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Clan Des Obeaux, Frodon and Le Prezien could run for Paul Nicholls, while Colin Tizzard has entered Fox Norton along with Cue Card, although the latter is also in the reckoning for the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Other contenders worth noting include Alan King's popular veteran Smad Place, Tom George's King George runner-up Double Shuffle and Malcolm Jefferson's pair of Cloudy Dream and Waiting Patiently.