Nicky Henderson duo Epatante and Theatre Glory to take on Honeysuckle at Cheltenham

Nicky Henderson has supplemented Epatante and Theatre Glory to take on Honeysuckle in a fascinating renewal of the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.

Henry de Bromhead’s Honeysuckle beat Benie Des Dieux in an epic running of the Grade One contest in 2020 before going on to claim back-to-back victories against the boys in the Champion Hurdle.

But having suffered defeat for the first time in her bid for a fourth Hatton’s Grace in December, and proved no match for State Man in last month’s Irish Champion Hurdle, the nine-year-old is set to go back against her own sex in an attempt to end her career with a fourth Festival success.

Like Honeysuckle, the 2020 Champion Hurdle heroine Epatante retains an entry in this year’s Champion following Wednesday’s confirmation stage.

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However, she has proved no match for stablemate and red-hot Champion Hurdle favourite Constitution Hill in either the Fighting Fifth or the Christmas Hurdle this season and, as expected, she has been added to the Mares’ Hurdle field at a cost of £4,599 following an impressive recent victory at Doncaster.

Connections of Theatre Glory have also stumped up the same figure following her runaway success in a Listed event at Warwick on her latest outing.

Henderson has a potential third string to his bow in the form of last year’s winner Marie’s Rock, but she also has the option of stepping up in trip for the Stayers’ Hurdle two days later.

Love Envoi is a leading contender for Harry Fry, while Willie Mullins has whittled his Mares’ Hurdle team down to Brandy Love, Echoes In Rain and Shewearsitwell.

Midnight Ginger (Andrew Martin) and Queens Brook (Gordon Elliott) are the other hopefuls.

Twenty horses have stood their ground for the traditional Festival curtain-raiser – the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

Ante-post favourite Facile Vega heads a seven-strong Mullins squad that also includes Il Etait Temps, Impaire Et Passe and Gaelic Warrior, although several have alternative engagements during the week.

Backers of Barry Connell’s Marine Nationale and the Joseph O’Brien-trained High Definition will pleased to see that pair also remain in the mix.

El Fabiolo and Jonbon are the top two in the betting for the Sporting Life Arkle Challenge Trophy, for which a total of 12 horses are still entered.

Mullins-trained Irish Arkle winner El Fabiolo could be joined by a trio of stablemates in Dysart Dynamo, Ha d’Or and Saint Roi, while Henderson’s Jonbon is very much the pick of the home team.

Officials at Cheltenham expect “lovely jumping ground” for next week’s festival, if the weather forecasts prove accurate.

Cheltenham avoided the snowfall which has beset parts of Britain over the last 48 hours and on Wednesday afternoon clerk of the course Jon Pullin provided an upbeat update ahead of the four-day meeting.

“We avoided any snowfall overnight and we have had a combination of drizzle, light rain and sleet throughout the day today, but not amounting to anything of much volume,” said Pullin.

“There is still an unsettled forecast going forward. It is expected to be much the same, a combination of rain and sleet.

“Thursday and Monday look as if they will be the wettest of the days from a volume point of view, with bits and pieces in between.

“Form a cold point of view, we only dipped below zero briefly last night and it is expected to be a similar situation tonight. We might get below zero but nothing too significant.

“Friday into Saturday might be a little bit colder, but daytime temperatures on Saturday get back up. We could be minus 3C or minus 4C but that looks the only cold night of concern and temperatures get back up after that.

“It is as positive as you’ll get a clerk to be. Certainly there is nothing from a cold point of view that’s of concern and the bits and pieces of rain.

“A couple of days could be more significant in volume, but we’re okay. Both Thursday and Monday could be five millimetres to 10 millimetres.

“If we get anything between the mid-range, that would see lovely jumping ground to start the week with.

“Next week looks like it will be warmer, with double-digit temperatures, just with a few showers.”