Champetre set for further Cheltenham glory?

Enda Bolger will once again be the trainer to follow at this year's Cross Country Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Bolger has won four of the five races contested at Prestbury Park during the Festival since the first running in 2005, and has teamed-up with Nina Carberry to land the last three in a row for owner JP McManus.

The lengendary Spot Thedifference got the ball rolling in 2005, then Heads Onthe Ground took the honours in 2007, while Garde Champetre has won the last two contests.

This year's squad from Howardstown House is: Garde Champetre (N Carberry), L'Ami (JT McNamara), Heads Onthe Ground (Paul Carberry), Freneys Well (R Mclernon) and Drombeag (M Walsh).

Bolger told www.cdhorseracingtours.com: ""We have been pleased with the build-up for all our runners. They all go to Cheltenham in great nick and are flying. All of them have also enjoyed a clear run in terms of their preparation.

"Garde Champetre is fresh and ready to rock and roll, we ran him over hurdles last time (Punchestown) in a very hot contest, we didn't run him in the PP Hogan Memorial Chase because the ground was desperate.

"L'Ami had a wind operation at Christmas and likewise ran over hurdles at Punchestown on the same card as Garde Champetre in February. I don't think that Cheltenham doesn't suit L'Ami, I just think he's very very unfortunate to come up against Garde Champetre - a horse very much in his prime.

"Of course L'Ami will enjoy an 8lb pull over Garde Champetre in the race this year, but for me Garde Champetre is the course and distance winner and that counts for a lot.

"I don't mind which of them jumps over the last in front as long as it is trained by Enda Bolger, after all I'm only the trainer."

Bolger pinpointed Another Jewel (winner of this year's PP Hogan Memorial Chase) and Sizing Australia as the main dangers to his quintet, but the Brulee-based genius sportingly concluded: "May the best man win."

However, don't bet against it being another winner for E Bolger.