Cheltenham Gold Cup hopes Florida Pearl and Alexander Banquet continue to please connections as trainer Willie Mullins puts the finishing touches to their preparations.
"Florida Pearl and Alexander Banquet had a nice workout this morning and I'm delighted with the pair," Mullins enthused.
"They are both in good order. The two of them went very well - they did a nice bit of work." Mullins also confirmed Assessed on course for Tuesday's Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Trophy.
He said: "Assessed will take his chance in the Arkle. The horse worked nicely and scoped clear afterwards." Mullins hopes to have 11 runners over the three days of the Cheltenham Festival.
And he reports Alexander Milenium back on track for the Weatherbys Festival Bumper on Wednesday after the six-year-old suffered an injury scare at the weekend.
He pulled a shoe off last Saturday and missed a few days but Mullins said: "Alexander Milenium is back cantering and on target. He won't need much more just a blowout at the weekend."
Martin Pipe has opted to run Westender in the Gerrard Supreme Novices' Hurdle rather than take on Istabraq later on Tuesday's Cheltenham card.
Westender could be joined by stable companion the impressive German import Bernardon in the Festival's opening event.
Pipe said that Tony McCoy is expected to partner Westender, while jockey arrangements have yet to be made for Bernardon, who has been a leading light in ante-post markets since Supreme betting began.
"Tony McCoy is expected to ride, although I suppose that might change if the ground was to alter," said Pipe. "But at the moment, Tony rides Westender."
Meanwhile, Timmy Murphy answered any fitness question marks by letting his riding do the talking with a double on Santenay and Candarli at Wincanton yesterday. The jockey had faced a race against time to be fully fit for next week's Festival after aggravating a shoulder injury almost a fortnight ago and was sidelined as a result.
Murphy said: "I think the double proves my arm is back working and now it's full steam ahead for Cheltenham.
"I had the ligaments in my left shoulder injected on Monday to make sure I would have everything in working order for next week."
