Major players stand ground in novice events The fields were reduced for the novice events at the Cheltenham Festival at the latest forfeit stage with no real surprises. Min stands tall among 46 remaining possibles for the SkyBet Supreme Novices' Hurdle after 18 were taken out, including Ladbroke winner Sternrubin. A total of 56 remain in contention for the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle, for which Alan King's imperious Yanworth casts a huge shadow over his rivals. Willie Mullins still has plenty to pick from with Yorkhill, Bellshill, Blue Et Rouge, Long Dog and Up For Review among them. Those Mullins inmates are also in the 57 left in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle. That race is dominated by Barters Hill, with Shantou Village also in the mix. There are 38 left in a wide-open JCB Triumph Hurdle, with Ivanovich Gorbatov currently heading the betting despite being well beaten last time out. Rashaan and Wolf Of Windlesham were among the 16 taken out. Also not running is Allblak Des Places, second to stablemate Footpad in the Spring Juvenile Hurdle. Just 22 are left in the Arkle, significantly weakened by the Gary Moore duo of Ar Mad and Violet Dancer succumbing to injury. A massive 67 are still in contention for the four-mile National Hunt Chase, for which Blaklion has been scratched. His trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies has also taken Bristol De Mai out of the RSA Chase, for which 35 remain. Minella Rocco has also been taken out. Activial, Calipto and Un Temps Pour Tout were among 27 scratched from the JLT Novices' Chase, with 37 left in.
