Epatante the logical favourite in the International Hurdle

Cheltenham, Saturday 10 December: On the second day of the Festival at Cheltenham, the International Hurdle (5th race/15.25pm/130,000 pounds/3380m) takes centre stage on the seven-race card. Five horses are vying to succeed Guard Your Dreams (winner in 2021), with Epatante (Aidan Coleman) fancying his first chance.

Nicky Henderson`s mare, who was last runner-up in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle (Group 1) behind the `unlosable` Constitution Hill, last ran at Cheltenham during the Spring Festival and came in a very good second behind Honeysuckle. However, Epatante faces no walkover as I Like To Move It (Sam Twiston-Davies), winner here on 13 November, and Knappers Hill (Harry Cobden), unbeaten in four starts, are anything but place money contenders. First Street (Nico de Boinville), who showed up at Newbury, can also win the race. Only Zoffania (Daniel King) has little to speak of.