Dun Doire continues to be well backed for the Grand National with Betterbet.com and is now clear 10/1 favourite for next month's big race. Paul Carberry has been handed the ride.

The jockey, who has been sidelined with a foot injury since February 25, has twice partnered the Tony Martin-trained runner to success but has not taken the reins since the duo combined to winning effect over a year ago.

Explaining the booking, Martin told the Racing Post: "I've asked Paul to ride Dun Doire in the National once he is fully fit, and he has accepted the mount.

"He knows the horse well and won the Thyestes Chase on him last season."

Carberry hopes to be back in action in the near future and is already looking forward to the Aintree feature on April 14.

Of Dun Doire, who bounced back to winning ways under Bobby McNally at Down Royal this month, Carberry said: "I've won a couple of races on him and he's a good ride to pick up for the National.

McManus has never won the Grand NationalL'Ami has been identified as leading owner JP McManus' best hope of success in next month's Grand National.
The famous Irish owner has nine horses entered in the Aintree showpiece, which he has never won although he did have the runner-up in 2003 in Clan Royal.
"I would say at this stage that L'Ami looks our best chance. He will definitely run," said McManus' racing manager Frank Berry.
L'Ami was seventh behind Kauto Star in the Cheltenham Gold Cup last week.
The Francois Doumen-trained gelding is currently a general 20-1 shot for the Grand National on 14 April.
Aintree veteran Clan Royal is also scheduled to take his place in the line-up.

The Press clamours for a super horse, but Kauto Star is not yet that.

He is impressive in his paces and this has carried off prizes for him on park tracks despite his tendency to make a hair-raising error towards the end of a race. Such an error on this track under pressure and faced with quality challengers would prick the bubble. But are there any quality challengers? Last year's winner, War Of Attrition, is injured; Beef Or Salmon has never 'put it in' on this track and the ground has gone against last year's third, Forget The Past, and, theoretically, against The Listener and My Will, though this pair are young pretenders and we don't know everything about them.

Also, there are horses in this that - on form - shouldn't be here: Bob Bob Bobbin, for example, is rated 30lb inferior. Exotic Dancer has been a big improver but was beaten eight lengths by 'Cato' in the King George, and when L'Ami got within a neck of 'Cato' at Newbury, it was with the help of a 10lb advantage. I have two ideas about the race: Exotic Dancer has won no fewer than four times at Cheltenham, and the track could make the difference. Secondly, State Of Play has been forgotten since he won the Hennessy Gold Cup. He has to be fresh; acts on any going; staying is clearly his game, and Hennessy winners have done the double before (four times).

After all the defectors, we still have a big field which suggests that trainers feel that Kauto Star is worth taking on. If this happens in the market, you could have a 'lay and back' situation. But I will content myself with an each-way bet in a tricky year. Trainer Evan Williams has been hailed as the potential new star of the jumps stables and State Of Play would establish his credentials.

At the overnight prices State of Play is 13/2 with betterbet.com.

With winners at 50/1 and 40/1, and a 16/1 winner of the Champion Hurdle there can be little doubt the bookmakers had the edge on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival.

A few lessons were learnt which will hopefully help with our strategy for Wednesday. The first is despite pessimism beforehand - the Irish horses are running incredibly well. Secondly, the ground is now starting to dry up at a rapid rate.

That will definitely count against Nickname in the Champion Chase. Betterbet.com have gone 15/2 overnight which is a big price compared to a week ago but I expect him to drift further as there were plenty of negative vibes around the track on Tuesday for this one whose best form is on soft and heavy ground. A better bet in Wednesday's feature race may be VOY POR USTEDES who won the Arkle at the Festival last year and who looks a reasonable bet at 9/2 to win this. Trainer Alan King won this year's Arkle yesterday with the impressive My Way De Solzen and hot favourite Well Chief looks worth opposing given his lack of recent races.

DENMAN has been made 6/5 favourite by Better to win the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at 2.35 and is the banker bet at the meeting for many. He's a terribly short price now but so hard to fault. If you prefer to play each-way UNGARO looks interesting at 10/1.

The Sunderlands Imperial Cup at Sandown is the traditional hor'deuve to next week's Festival main course and punters will be looking to the 17 runner handicap to boost their Cheltenham betting banks.

The top weight Dusky Warbler is a non runner and the only certainty of the race is that the David Pipe trained Gaspara is going to go off favourite. Betterbet.com make him 3/1 at the moment and if you can get near a Better shop they have a great concession today whereby if you finish second to the favourite in this race you get your win single stake back.

This race has been monopolised in the past by David's father Martin who has won three of the last five runnings and Gaspara, who bids for a hat-trick, looks a very likely sort indeed with the champ A P McCoy in the saddle. Gaspara also has two Cheltenham engagements for next week and if he wins today will be on for the bonus put up by the sponsors.

At 3/1 he is plenty short enough though for such a competitive event and we prefer to play each-way where we'll get a return if finishing in the first four. The going will be testing at Sandown which may play into the hands of the bottom weights and the one at the very bottom Swift Sailor looks interesting at Better's 16/1. The grey is in good form, as his trainer Gary Moore.

Macs Joy is a former winner of the Irish Champion HurdleThe 2005 Champion Hurdle runner-up Harchibald and last year's second Macs Joy will miss this year's race.
Macs Joy has been ruled out of Tuesday's contest with a pulled muscle while the soft ground conditions have led to Harchibald's withdrawal.
The news is the latest blow to Irish hopes for the Cheltenham Festival.
Reigning Gold Cup champion War of Attrition, the 2006 blue riband runner-up Hedgehunter and rising star In Compliance are all absentees.
Harchibald's trainer Noel Meade, who is based in County Meath, said stablemate Jazz Messenger is an unlikely Champion Hurdle runner, and he will instead rely on Grade One novice winner Iktitaf.
"Harchibald won't travel over as the ground is against him and it is going the same way with Jazz Messenger," said Meade.
Jessica Harrington, the County Carlow-based trainer of Macs Joy, said he is likely to reappear at the Punchestown Festival in April.
Macs Joy was a general 9-1 chance for the two-mile contest, with Harchibald rated a 25-1 shot.
Galloping grey Detroit City, trained by Philip Hobbs in Somerset, is favourite for the race, which has been dominated by the Irish in recent years.
Hobbs trained the last England-based winner, Rooster Booster, another grey who won in 2003.
The 2006 champion Brave Inca and Hardy Eustace, winner for the two previous years, head the Irish challenge this time.

Cheltenham is round the corner and betterbet.com are sponsoring the big competition in the Racing Post - Select A Stable.

There's GBP75,000 up for grabs with a first prize of GBP50,000 and the good news is that the prizes HAVE to be won. This is a fantasy type competition where the prizes are awarded based on how many points your stable of horses score.

It costs GBP5.00 to enter a stable with a 'five stables for the price of four' discount available. It's easy to enter - you need to select 12 horses from four groups of bankers, strong fancies, good chances and outsiders - but pay careful attention to the bankers you select as these will count double points.

You have until 1.45pm on the first day on Tuesday to enter - but there's no reason not to enter straight away. Even if your horse is withdrawn between now and the race you are allowed two substitutions per stable.

You can enter online at www.selectastable.co.uk. Remember too that betterbet.com were the first bookmaker to go NON RUNNER NO BET for the Festival and the offer still applies.

Swan was one of the most renowned Cheltenham jockeysPopular Irish jockey Charlie Swan could come out of retirement to ride Brave Inca when the horse defends his Champion Hurdle crown at Cheltenham.
Trainer Colm Murphy is waiting on the availability of regular partner Tony McCoy, the 10-times champion jockey.
McCoy may be required to ride Straw Bear for his boss, the horse's millionaire owner JP McManus.
Asked if Swan could take the ride, Murphy said: "I wouldn't rule it in or out. We'll see what happens."
Swan, now a successful trainer, is held in high regard by racing fans after his exploits on the McManus-owned Istabraq, winner of the Champion Hurdle in 1998, 1999 and 2000.
McCoy has regularly ridden the nine-year-old Brave Inca and won the blue riband on him 12 months ago.

Ruby Walsh stepped in to partner the gelding to success in the December Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas.
But Walsh could be needed for the Paul Nicholls-trained Desert Quest.
"I don't know what is happening. I'll wait until the middle of next week before we start panicking," said Murphy.