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Will Irish Eyes be Smiling? Best Cheltenham Hopes from Across the Water 08/03/11

In the build up to any Cheltenham Festival there is always plenty of talk surrounding the age old rivalry that has exists between the stables of Ireland against those in the UK.

Quevega is the one to beat in the
Mares Hurdle
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Down the years, honours have been evenly split with racing fans on both sides of the Irish Sea able to brag about winning the bigger Festival races in recent years. The rivalry tends to concentrate on the Irish assault and bookies can expect a disastrous set of results should Irish eyes being smiling given the runners from the Emerald Isle come in for. Virtually every race at the Neptune Novice Hurdle

Jessica Harrington has high hopes for her Oscars Well in this competitive hurdle over 2 miles, said to be the best novice hurdler in Ireland and has won two Grade One’s in succession it is one which many Irish pundits are claiming has a big chance.

Big Zeb
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War of Attrition in 2006 could go on.

Irish bookmaker, Boylesports, has set the spread on the number of Irish winners at this year’s Festival at six, offering 6/5 each of two that it will be either over or under this number whilst Blue Square are offering odds of 13/2 that the Irish have nine or more winners across the four days.