Irish trainer Charles Byrnes is set to be represented in two races at Cheltenham on day one of The Showcase, Friday, 25 October.
Doctor Duffy has two entries at The Showcase, with Byrnes favouring the opening £20,000 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle (2.00pm, 16 entries) over two miles and five furlongs, while stablemate The Big Galloper goes for the £16,800 Two Farmers Crisps Handicap Hurdle (3.10pm, 36 entries) over the same distance.
Doctor Duffy has enjoyed a productive campaign over hurdles so far, winning three races and finishing second three times from eight starts. The six-year-old’s latest success came last time out in a novices’ hurdle over two miles and six furlongs at Navan on 28 September, when he scored by four lengths.
The Big Galloper also heads to The Showcase on the back of a victory, having shed his maiden tag in a heavy ground maiden hurdle at Roscommon on 30 September.
Byrnes said: “The plan at the moment is to send both Doctor Duffy and The Big Galloper to Cheltenham this week.
“Doctor Duffy is very consistent and does not know how to run a bad race.
“He likes good ground and a galloping track suits him well. He is a nice horse to have.
“The Big Galloper did well to win at Roscommon and he goes for the two and a half-mile handicap hurdle.”
Elsewhere on Friday’s card, Dan Skelton will pit unbeaten mare Getariver against the geldings in the £15,000 Foundation Developments Ltd Maiden Hurdle (4.20pm, 21 entries) over an extended two miles.
The Irish point-to-point graduate landed a bumper impressively at Ludlow on her Rules debut in January before defying a penalty in a similar contest at Newbury in March.
Skelton said: “We will have a number of runners at The Showcase, including Getariver in the maiden hurdle on Friday.
"She is a horse we like. She won both her bumpers and is obviously very smart.
“We are looking forward to getting her started over hurdles.”
The Showcase continues on Saturday, 26 October, when the action includes two £60,000 handicap chases – the "Matchbook Betting Exchange" Handicap Chase (2.00pm, 3m 1f, 27 entries) and Randox Health Handicap Chase (3.10pm, 1m 7f 199y, 18 entries) – plus the £40,000 Masterson Holdings Hurdle (2.35pm, 2m ½f, 13 entries) for four-year-olds.
The going at Cheltenham is currently Good to Soft, Good in places with a mostly dry week forecast.
Away from the track, the racecourse will stage its first Cheltoberfest - Cheltenham's twist on the ever-popular Oktoberfest.
The ticketed event takes place in The Centaur over both days of The Showcase and includes live German and Bavarian Oompah music from The Bierkeller Boys, a range of local real ales and Magners Cider, plus tips from a racing tipster before racing commences.
More information can be found at:
https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham/events-tickets/the-showcase/cheltoberfest/
Throughout the day on Saturday, 26 October, there will be a variety of entertainment and demonstrations in The Parade Ring, available in the Club/Tattersalls Enclosure, including:
*A demonstration from the Riding for the Disabled.
*Learn about racehorse anatomy with Rachel Keeble.
*Matt Nicholls (Kim Bailey's assistant) will be talking through how to prepare a racehorse for a day at the races.
*Josh Stacey from the Racing Post will be on hand to provide a tipster talk ahead of racing.
*South West Syndicate Horses will be on parade between racing, a perfect opportunity to find out more and become part of our Syndicate - further details are available at:
https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham/membership-and-offers/syndicate-ownership/
As well as entertainment and demonstrations in the Parade Ring, there are stalls and stands to see in the Tattersalls Sales Arena located in the Club/Tattersalls Enclosure, including:
*Representatives from the British Racing School will be available to answer any questions for those that are interested in working in the horseracing industry. More information is available at https://brs.org.uk/
*Retraining of Racehorses will be educating racegoers on a racehorse's life after their career in racing.
*Racing to School delivers free outdoor learning activities for young people at racecourses, studs and trainers' yards across the country. They will be around to teach you how to ride a racehorse with demonstrations and the opportunity for you to have a go by riding the equisizer.
*Matt from Beltane Forge will be showcasing his talent with a live demonstration straight from the forge.
