POINT-TO-POINT graduates won 11 races at last year’s Cheltenham Festival and hopes are high for a similar tally next week.

Romeo Coolio, No Drama This End and The Big Westerner are among those with strong chances, and all three were sold at the Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale, which returns after racing on Thursday March 12th, beginning at approximately 6.05pm.

Nine debut four-year-old winners are among 11 early entries for the select sale, with further entries expected from this weekend’s point-to-points.

Donnchadh Doyle was the man responsible for multiple Grade 1 winner Romeo Coolio when the son of Kayf Tara won a four-year-old maiden at Belclare, and now presents fellow debut winner Blue Rebel, a Blue Bresil gelding out of dual Grade 3 winner Oscar Rebel.

The Big Westerner’s former handler, Matthew Flynn O’Connor, also has one entry so far. Cokoriko gelding Helios Forlonge, who is out of a half-sister to Asterion Forlonge, made a promising start at Lisronagh when a length behind Seanchai. The winner is one of two entries from Pat Doyle’s Suirview Stables and the first to be offered on behalf of new owner Carsena Bloodstock, owned by Belfast-based entrepreneur Dominic Kearns.The Walk In The Park gelding was one of eight stores bought by Carsena Bloodstock with agent Aubrey McMahon last summer.

Seanchai’s stablemate and fellow Festival Sale entry, Monzon Sport, provided Simon Munir and Isaac Souede with a perfect start to their new trading venture Jet Bloodstock when winning a four-year-old maiden at Borris House by 20 lengths.

Notable factors

The Goliath Du Berlais gelding overcame testing conditions to record the fastest time on the card. The €67,000 Derby Sale buy is a half-brother to Grade 1-winning chaser Leader Sport and Grade 3 scorer Geelong Sport.

Sam Curling has a strong chance of winning Friday’s hunter chase for a second consecutive year, but before that, he has the small matter of offering two smart mares. Like Curling’s former sale topper Echoing Silence, Jezebel Eyes won the four-year-old mares’ maiden at Ballycahane on debut. Stablemate Kimai built on a promising debut to justify even-money favouritism in a five-year-old mares’ maiden at Carrigarostig, with the runner-up subsequently scoring by seven lengths.

She is by Walk In The Park, as is Jim O’Neill’s four-year-old mare Foxy In The Park. She justified favouritism at Kildorrery last month, making all and jumping faultlessly to score by seven and a half lengths.

Adam Leahy’s newcomer Cleverfox looked the likely winner at Ballygogue House last month, boasting a clear advantage when unseating at the final fence. Consigned by Leahy with Kedrah House Stud, the Berkshire four-year-old hails from the family of the great Sprinter Sacre.

The three five-year-old debut winners include the Ian McCarthy’s smart Lisronagh winner Kiss Rose and Paul Pierce’s wide margin Oldtown victor, Different Story. Tom Lacey’s smart Larkhill winner Seven Kites is also by hot young sire Poet’s Word.

Other British entries include Toby Bulgin’s debut bumper winner Nathannah, a well-related Nathaniel mare, and Tom Weston’s 11-length victor Mojito Lido.

Web: tattersallscheltenham.com