Bravemansgame headlines Brown Advisory confirmations

Bravemansgame is one of 17 confirmations for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham on Wednesday.

Paul Nicholls’ seven-year-old has been extremely impressive over fences to date, winning all four races including the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton.

He heads a strong home team that also includes Lucinda Russell’s Ahoy Senor, who beat Bravemansgame over hurdles at Aintree last season but had no answer to him when they met on Boxing Day.

Either side of that, however, he had looked very good in Grade Two company at Newbury and Wetherby.

The Venetia Williams-trained L’Homme Presse is another who has improved enormously for the switch to fences, taking the Scilly Isles at Sandown last time out.

Willie Mullins has left in Galopin Des Champs but has stated he is leaning towards a clash with Bob Olinger in the Turners Novices’ Chase over the shorter trip.

Among the remainder are Dusart, Beacon Edge, Capodanno, Imperial Alcazar and Threeunderthrufive.

In the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle the potential field has been reduced to 18 – with Mullins responsible for 10 of them.

Among those are Sir Gerhard, Dysart Dynamo and Kilcruit, who are still engaged in the Supreme on the first day.

Ginto and Three Stripe Life could go for Gordon Elliott, while Journey With Me is Henry de Bromhead’s sole possible.

Nicholls could have a good day on Wednesday with Stage Star set to run, the Grade One winner is unbeaten this season.

Tiger Roll is one of 21 in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase as he bids to go out in a blaze of glory.

Mullins has seven in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper, headlined by red-hot favourite Facile Vega, Redemption Day and James’s Gate.

Elliott’s American Mike has long been thought of as the one to give the Mullins squad most to do.