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Dunguib heads 34 horses left in at the confirmation stage for the Spinal Research Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham on Tuesday.

Last season's Champion Bumper winner, trained by Philip Fenton, is seen by many as a banker and is odds-on to get the Irish off to a flier in the opening race of the four-day feast.

Fenton said: "Dunguib is grand and all has gone very smoothly, no problems thankfully. He'll possibly jump a few flights on Thursday morning, before he heads off. We've taken him out of the Champion Hurdle and he goes for the Supreme."

The trainer added: "I've been very happy with him since Leopardstown, he's jumped several hurdles since and he's jumped them well."

Paddy Power will donate £1,000 to Spinal Research for every length Dunguib wins by, and Fenton added: "If he wins half a length that will do for us, but hopefully he can do better than that for Spinal Research."

Main market rival to Dunguib is totesport Trophy hero Get Me Out Of Here, owned by JP McManus and trained at Jackdaws Castle by Jonjo O'Neill.

"He came out of his last race well. His cut has healed up and he's in good form," said McManus's racing manager Frank Berry. "He got a bit of a gash at Newbury but he's fine again now and Jonjo is very pleased with him. He goes there in good shape."

Another leading fancy is Menorah, despite suffering a shock defeat at Ascot on his latest start.

"It wasn't ideal and obviously we were thinking that he should go and win. But it was a little bit like when he was beaten at Doncaster in that it was a very muddling race. We were left in front and then got taken on so it was just a mess really. The horse is in good form so we'll press on," trainer Philip Hobbs told At The Races.

The other main contenders have all stood their ground for the curtain raiser, including Oscar Whisky, Blackstairmountain, General Miller and Dan Breen.

Go Native features among 17 entries for next week's Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle at the confirmation stage.

The Noel Meade-trained seven-year-old comes into the race in pursuit of a £1million bonus from betting exchange wbx.com, having already won the Fighting Fifth and the Christmas Hurdle this season.

Meade has also entered Donnas Palm and Muirhead, while Nicky Henderson could saddle three runners in last year's first and third - Punjabi and Binocular - and 2009 Triumph Hurdle hero Zaynar.

Doubts surround the participation of Solwhit after he scoped dirty earlier in the week, but the six-year-old remains in the entries for the time being.

Ebadiyan, Kargali, Jumbo Rio, Raise Your Heart, Royal And Regal and Won In The Dark are the other Irish contenders. Last year's runner-up Celestial Halo, Khyber Kim, Medermit and Starluck complete the challenge from the home team.

Philip Fenton finally quashed speculation by withdrawing Dunguib, who is red-hot favourite for the Spinal Research Supreme Novices' Hurdle earlier in the day.

Nigel Twiston-Davies is bullish about the chances of Khyber Kim, already twice a winner at the course this season having won the Greatwood and the Boylesports.com International.

"Khyber Kim is in tremendous form and we are very confident going into the race," said the Naunton handler.

"In my opinion, he is the forgotten horse but never mind, let's go and win. The first day of the Festival will probably be the softest ground anyway but he doesn't need soft.

"He has a lot of class and I'm very happy with him. I don't think Paddy Brennan or I would swap him for any other. In fact, I'm certain we wouldn't."

Tataniano was a surprise withdrawal from the Irish Independent Arkle Trophy at the confirmation stage.

The six-year-old, trained by Paul Nicholls, bypasses Tuesday's two-mile novice championship at Cheltenham in favour of the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase on Friday.

"He's absolutely fine, but we just didn't think he was good enough for the Arkle and he's going to go for the Grand Annual instead," said owner Andy Stewart.

"It was obviously disappointing when he was beaten by a horse of Emma Lavelle's (Suntini) at Newbury last time and while he could be placed in an Arkle, he probably wouldn't be good enough to win it.

"Novices have a reasonably good record in the Grand Annual and he should have a good chance of winning that, so hopefully it works out. We obviously lined Poquelin up for the Grand Annual last year but that didn't work out, so hopefully Tataniano can do the business. I may still have a runner in the Arkle as I own Nomecheki."

Irish adversaries Captain Cee Bee and Sizing Europe are set for a deciding showdown after 17 horses stood their ground for the Arkle. When they clashed at Leopardstown on Boxing Day there was little between them at the final fence until Captain Cee Bee came down, leaving Sizing Europe to land the spoils.

Connections of both horses report their charges to be on song for the big day and trainer Henry de Bromhead said: "Everything is good with Sizing Europe and it is just a case of keeping him in one piece now. He's done plenty of work and we'll just keep him ticking over now until he heads over to Cheltenham on Saturday.

"We obviously had the trouble with transit fever last year but we have a few ideas of how to do things differently and try to prevent it happening again, so hopefully it was a one-off."

The Eddie Harty-trained Captain Cee Bee, successful in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle in 2008, returned to winning ways at Naas last month.

"Touch-wood, he's on course for the Arkle. He's in great form and fingers crossed he'll get there in one piece," said owner JP McManus's racing manager Frank Berry. "He goes there in good order and we hope for the best."

Garde Champetre is on course to bid for a hat-trick of victories in the cross-country chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

The 11-year-old defied top weight of 11st 12lb 12 months ago and will attempt to do the same again in the Glenfarclas Handicap Chase on Tuesday. Of the 25 possibles for the three-mile-seven-furlong test, five are from the Garde Champetre team of owner JP McManus and trainer Enda Bolger.

The others are last year's runner-up L'Ami, Freneys Well, Drombeag and Heads Onthe Ground. Bolger's main two contenders are reported in fine shape and the owner's racing manager, Frank Berry, said: "They are in great order and we couldn't be happier with them."

Sizing Australia, was runner-up to Garde Champetre over this unique circuit in December, and trainer Henry de Bromhead is looking forward to the race.

"Australia is in great order and we're looking forward to running him again," he said. "Enda Bolger obviously has a monopoly on the race at the moment but our horse has run well round there before so we'll see how he gets on."

Other interesting entries include 2007 Grand National hero Silver Birch, Monkerhostin, Cornish Sett, Preists Leap and Lacdoudal.

Last year's winner Quevega heads 21 entries for Tuesday's David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle. Willie Mullins' charge was one of the most impressive winners of last year's Cheltenham Festival in the Grade Two contest, but has been off the track with injury since May.

Mullins has also left in J'y Vole, while Colm Murphy's Voler La Vedette, the Paul Nolan-trained Shuil Aris and Jessica Harrington's Zarinava are other leading contenders from the Emerald Isle. Queen Poline, Sway and Easter Legend are three of the more likely hopes for the home team.

Part-owner Hugh Doubtfire believes Imperial Commander is in the form of his life ahead of his crack at the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Last season's Ryanair Chase winner ran no sort of race in the King George VI Chase at Kempton, but Doubtfire hopes a return to his beloved Cheltenham will see him bounce back after delighting connections when working with leading Champion Hurdle contender Khyber Kim earlier this week.

Doubtfire told At The Races: "He worked with Khyber Kim and worked very, very well indeed. I think the stable would possibly say he's better than he was when he won the Ryanair. To have a winner at the Festival was amazing and just to be part of the Gold Cup this year is fantastic for us and we're really looking forward to it."

Graham Wylie admits his Ladbrokes World Hurdle hope Tidal Bay has a long way to go before he can emulate former stablemate Inglis Drever.

The latter, who had to be put down in October after suffering from colic, won the staying hurdle title three times for Wylie and while Tidal Bay appreciated the return to the smaller obstacles when landing the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham in January, Wylie is just hoping for the best against hotpot Big Buck's.

"It would be nice if he could emulate Inglis Drever, but I don't think he's as good or as tough and battle-hardened as him," the millionaire owner told At The Races.

"He'll take his chance and there is a very good favourite in there, but if he's not there he can't win it so we'll go and have a try. It was definitely Howard's (Johnson) masterstroke to put him back over hurdles.

"Because he always seems to make a mistake at a fence and mess up his race we thought we'd bring him back to hurdles to see how he got on and he ran very well in the Cleeve in ground he didn't really like."

While Tidal Bay will be his star name, Wylie looks set to be well represented in some of the lesser races at next week's Festival.

"Door Boy should have a chance in the Jewson (Novices' Handicap Chase)," Wylie said. "He won well on his first two runs of the season at Aintree and at Newcastle, and we had to get him out quick after that to get him qualified. He was a bit flat at Musselburgh last time but still ran a good race and hopefully he's got a chance.

"I bought On His Own about a month ago so we thought we might as well let him take his chance in the Champion Bumper, although it's a very competitive race. Lennon is on a nice weight in the Grand Annual so we'll let him take his chance and Arcalis will go for the County Hurdle if he gets in.

"The Knoxs is in the Neptune Novices' Hurdle and although he's more of a three-miler he's got some good form and again it's just a question of whether he gets in or gets balloted out. Stormy Weather is in the Fred Winter but would probably like softer ground and Scriptwriter will go for the Coral Cup if he gets in."

Leading Paddy Power Imperial Cup fancy Salut Flo will miss Saturday's valuable handicap in favour of a trip to the Cheltenham Festival.

David Pipe's French recruit was mightily impressive on his British debut at Doncaster last weekend, making a mockery of an initial chase mark of 118 to beat Soulard by 12 lengths.

A statement on the trainer's website, www.davidpipe.com, read: "Salut Flo, the ante-post second favourite for this weekend's Imperial Cup at Sandown, will miss the race in favour of a crack at one of Cheltenham's handicap chases next week."

It continued: "David confirmed that the ex-French recruit, an impressive winner over fences at Doncaster last week, will instead be left in the Jewson Novices' Handicap Chase on the Thursday and the Grand Annual on the Friday.

"Salut Flo will compete with just a 5lb penalty for his impressive success."

Qaspal is an intended runner, but connections face a waiting game to see if the gelding makes the final line-up.

Despite a 14lb penalty for his last victory, the Philip Hobbs-trained six-year-old needs six horses above him to come out to make the cut at Thursday's final declaration stage.

Owner JP McManus has four entries in the £70,000 feature and his racing manager Frank Berry said: "It's all up in the air and we don't know which way we're going as a few of them are in at Cheltenham as well.

"Qaspal at the bottom of ours might not get in, but he is a definite runner if he gets in. He has got a pretty big penalty, but did it nicely at Sandown.

"Stradbrook could run as well and the other two are both in at Cheltenham and we'll decide on Thursday morning what we're doing. Bellvano and Sway could easily wait for Cheltenham. Bellvano is progressing all the time and he is a nice big horse."

Ferdy Murphy is hoping a trip to the Cheltenham Festival will not be a season too soon for the former troublesome gelding The Hollinwell.

The seven-year-old is second-favourite at around 8-1 for the Jewson Novices' Handicap Chase after showing bags of promise in his three starts over fences.

The West Witton trainer told Sky Sports News: "He's progressed nicely. Me and Graham (Lee) had a chat whether Cheltenham's going to come a season too early for him but he will go. He's worked very well and he's in good form, so it's fingers crossed. If he gets a bit of luck in running I think he'll be there or thereabouts."

Murphy went on: "He was difficult to do anything with early on, he was a pure delinquent and took us a long time to get him on song.

"We always knew he had plenty of ability because the things he was doing to get rid of riders when we were breaking him in was amazing.

"We've nurtured him and let him come through slowly, then this year he's done really well. He's had his three runs and he's won two out of three. The other one he was second to Abbeybraney, who is rated about 138."

Philip Hobbs report his Ryanair Chase contender Planet Of Sound none the worse following his crashing fall at Ascot last month.

The eight-year-old landed Exeter's William Hill Gold Cup on his first start of the season before chasing home Albertas Run in the Amlin 1965 Chase at Ascot. He only made it as far as the fifth fence on his return to Berkshire, but Hobbs does not believe that has affected his charge ahead of his Cheltenham assignment.

"The first time at Ascot he made a mistake and still ran well in the race, but on this occasion he ran right into the bottom of the fence and didn't make any attempt to jump it. It was really disappointing, but thankfully he is perfectly all right and it doesn't seem to have affected him," Hobbs told At The Races.

"We started schooling him over smaller obstacles to get his confidence back, but he didn't seem to need any confidence and he has since schooled well over full-size fences no problem."

Jamie Spencer will be replaced on Crowded House by John Velazquez in the $10million Dubai World Cup at Meydan later this month.

Connections believe the American rider's experience in a race he won in 2005 could be key to the four-year-old chances, but they stress Spencer will be back aboard the horse later in the season.

"This is no reflection on Jamie and he will be riding Crowded House again when he returns to Europe," trainer Brian Meehan told his website www.brianmeehanatmanton.com.

"The World Cup is an American-style race run on an American-style track and connections feel that an American jockey would suit him better on this occasion."

Crowded House has finished second on his two outings so far at the Dubai Carnival with Spencer in the saddle on both occasions.

"We did say that Crowded House would need both races and we were very pleased with him on each occasion," Meehan went on.

"We have had World Cup day as the target all along and we have been very happy with him since his last run. He is working very well and we are very happy with him and we are very confident."

Crowded House, winner of the Racing Post Trophy in 2008, is a best-priced 16-1 for the mile-and-a-quarter Group One on March 27.