Irish trainers have been responsible for at least three winners on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival on seven of the previous eight years but could face a tough task attaining that amount against a strong British challenge.

Aiming for their second BetBright Cup, a competition between Irish-trained horses and their British counterparts, Ireland will need to get off to their usual solid start.

The opening Supreme Novice Hurdle is usually a good race for the visitors. It has been won by an Irish-trained horse 10 times since 2000 with Willie Mullins providing four of those winners.

Mullins has combined with Ruby Walsh for three of the previous four winners and again looks to have a strong hand in the race with Melon (to be ridden by Walsh) the likely favourite, backed up by Bunk Off Early, Crack Mome and Cilaos Emery. Betfair Hurdle winner Ballyandy will likely start the shortest price of the British-trained horses.

The Arkle is dominated by Altior, who should score for the home side with possibly Royal Caviar the only Irish-trained horse with a chance of putting it up to Nicky Henderson’s horse.

Irish-trained horses have a similarly strong record in the Champion Hurdle, having won the last four renewals, but that sequence is more likely to come to an end tomorrow with nine of the 12-strong field trained in Britain including the top three in the betting. Dual Grade 1 winner Petit Mouchoir will be our main hope and is at around the 7/1 mark.

There are only three Irish-trained horses in the Ultima Handicap Chase but one of them, Paddy Power Chase winner Noble Endeavor, may well start favourite for Gordon Elliott who will be looking to build on the three winners he had at the festival last season.

Ireland has a much better chance of scoring a winner in the Mares’ Hurdle and National Hunt Chase. Willie Mullins has won every renewal but one of the Mares’ Hurdle and holds the top two in the market with Limini and last year’s winner Vroum Vroum Mag, both owned by Rich Ricci. Hattons Grace Hurdle winner Apple’s Jade is also in there for Gordon Elliott and it would be a major shock if the winner did not come from this trio.

In the National Hunt Chase, the top two in the betting are Irish-trained. Edwulf will be bidding to give Joseph O’Brien a first official winner at Cheltenham while A Genie In Abottle is also leading player for Noel Meade. Previous Cheltenham Festival winners Martello Tower and Tiger Roll also have claims in the four-mile race.

In the closing Close Brothers Novice Handicap Chase, the home team are again well represented with 14 of the 20 runners. Henry De Bromhead’s All Hell Let Loose may end up the best of the Irish alongside Last Goodbye who is representing Liz Doyle.