Eye On Cheltenham - Envoi Allen, American Mike and Knappers Hill cut for Festival after weekend wins

For the fourth year in a row, Envoi Allen made a winning reappearance at Down Royal, comfortably seeing off Kemboy, Conflated and Galvin to win the Ladbrokes Champion Chase. Henry De Bromhead's star was handed fresh quotes of 25/1 in the Gold Cup betting, while also coming into 16/1 to win the 2023 Ryanair Chase.

Paul Nicholls enjoyed a fantastic afternoon at Wincanton on Saturday, where Knappers Hill saw off three-time winner, Sceau Royal to land the Elite Hurdle. Bet365 then cut Knappers Hill into 33/1 to win the 2023 Champion Hurdle.

Pied Piper claimed his second win of the season at Down Royal on Saturday, comfortably winning a messy renewal of the WKD Hurdle. While most bookmakers were unmoved by the display, Unibet cut Pied Piper from 16s into 14/1 in their Champion Hurdle betting.

Despite giving weight to several dangerous rivals, Greaneteen produced a dominant performance on his return to win the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter on Friday. Paul Nicholls' charge, who will head off to the Tingle Creek next, received fresh quotes of 20/1 to win the 2023 Champion Chase.

Thyme Hill made his chasing debut at Exeter that day and jumped neatly as he saw off two rivals to win comfortably. Philip Hobbs' said the team would now work backwards from the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase, and Thyme Hill was clipped into 14/1 by Unibet in their betting for that Grade One.

Gordon Elliott completed a four-timer at Down Royal on Friday when Mighty Potter made a winning chase debut over two-and-a-half miles. A two-time Grade One winning novice hurdler last season, Mighty Potter was cut into 10/1 for the Turners' Novices' Chase and 12/1 for the Arkle at this season's Cheltenham Festival.

American Mike ran out an easy winner on his long-awaited hurdles debut, thrashing his rivals by six lengths without extending himself. Following that victory over 2m6f, Gordon Elliott's star was cut into 5/1 for the Ballymore and 7/1 favouritism for the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle.

Henry De Bromhead's mare upset the fancied Gordon Elliott and Willie Mullins runners to win the Grade Three at Down Royal on Saturday. Magic Zoe was then slashed in the betting for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle, with Betfair going as short as 8/1, having previously quoted odds of 20/1.

Paddy Roche's Cougar ran out an impressive winner of the 3-Y-O Hurdle that opened Ladbrokes Champions Chase day at Down Royal on Saturday. Mark Walsh's mount beat some decent rivals by three lengths and was cut in from 20s to 14/1 in bet365's betting for the Triumph Hurdle. 

Gavin Cromwell's four-year-old made a winning debut over hurdles at Cork on Sunday, running out an easy winner over Willie Mullins' odds-on favourite, Lots Of Joy. Inothewayurthinkin was then cut into 40/1 for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, and also received quotes of 33/1 for the Ballymore.

The feature Grade Three on Sunday's card at York was won by hot-favourite Cool Survivor. Gordon Elliott's charge comfortably saw out three miles on heavy ground and was immediately cut into 33/1 for the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle by Unibet.

The highly-regarded King Of Kingsfield got off to a winning start for Gordon Elliott in Saturday's card-closing bumper at Down Royal. A 14/1 shot before the race, King Of Kingsfield was cut into 8/1 solo favouritism for the Champion Bumper by Unibet following that winning debut.

Another of Gordon Elliott's best bumper horses, Demandrivingdouvan got off the mark as the 1/4 favourite at Thurles on Thursday. Elliott's charge was then cut into 16/1 in the Champion Bumper betting.