Looking ahead to the NH season 2015/2016 proper

Shantou Village likely to be seen next on 30th Jan at Cheltenham or Donny.
He's one so far who has got me jiggy. Dilemma at this stage is which race. Can easily see him getting 3m too.
 
Racing UK about to start a 3 hour preview of the NH season at midday, repeated at 3 hourly intervals for the rest of the day
 
Annie Power has suffered a set back and misses Hatton Grace, may not be seen until Cheltenham in March
 
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From RP

CONEYGREE, Don Cossack and Vautour are three of several leading Gold Cup hopes entered in the Grade 1 €150,000 Lexus Chase at Leopardstown on December 28. Sir Des Champs, Djakadam, last weekend's Hennessy fifth Saphir Du Rheu and this year's Grand National winner Many Clouds are other notable entries in what looks likely to be a top-class renewal of the three-mile chase.
Last year's winner Road To Riches is also among the 26 entries, while the Paul Nicholls-trained Sam Winner and Southfield Theatre and Jonjo O'Neill's Shutthefrontdoor complete the British contingent.
Seven Grade 1s
Horse Racing Ireland announced entries for seven Grade 1 races at Leopardstown over the Christmas period on Tuesday morning - and there could be a real festival eye-opener in the Neville Hotels Novice Steeplechase on December 29.
RSA favourite No More Heroes and second favourite More Of That are both entered in a race Gigginstown House Stud have won twice in recent years with Don Poli in 2014 and Last Instalment in 2011.
Another Grade 1 winner at the weekend, Sunday's Hatton's Grace hero Arctic Fire, is entered in both the three-mile Squared Financial Christmas Hurdle on December 28 and two-mile Ryanair Hurdle on December 29, in which Faugheen, Nichols Canyon, My Tent Or Yours and last year's Neptune winner Windsor Park are other notable names.
Eyecatching entry
Sky Bet Supreme Novice Hurdle favourite Min, who is yet to be seen on these shores, has an eyecatching entry in the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle on December 27, while on the same day, Champagne Fever, triple Grade 1-winner Un De Sceaux and last year's JLT winner Vautour are all entered in the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Steeplechase.
The only Grade 1 on December 26, the Racing Post Novice Steeplechase over two miles and a furlong, has attracted an all-Irish selection of 18 entries, with a potential clash between Douvan and Sizing John more than enough to whet the appetite ahead of a festive feast of Grade 1 action.
 
No Gold Cup in 2016, but still seems like the plan for 2017. Full text from the Sporting Life:

[h=2]Saphir Du Rheu is to return to hurdles this season with his chief target being the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at Cheltenham[/h]The six-year-old was sent off as favourite for Saturday's Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury and has been talked about as a future Gold Cup winner but could only finish fifth behind runaway winner Smad Place.
Saphir Du Rheu also reverted to hurdles last season after an inauspicious start to his chasing campaign but he ended the term with an impressive success over the larger obstacles at Aintree and trainer Paul Nicholls has not ruled out following a similar path.
"I've been considering this since his defeat In Saturday's Hennessy Gold Cup and have now had a chat about it with his owner Andy Stewart," he told his exclusive Betfair blog.
"At the core of my thinking is the fact that Saphir Du Rheu is only six, so I've always been concerned that the 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup would come a year too soon for him.
"Andy agrees with this plan so this is very much a team decision. I have now taken the horse out of the King George VI Chase and entered him today in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot.
"If he doesn't run there then we have the option of the Cleeve Hurdle which he won last year before he was a fine second in the World Hurdle.
"This way I think he will have a serious chance of going one better in the World Hurdle in 2016.
"It is important to say I still think Saphir Du Rheu will be a serious chaser in time and I am not ruling out a return to fences for him at Aintree in April and when he comes back into training next autumn he will be aimed once more at the Hennessy Gold Cup before heading for the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2017."
Nicholls and Stewart will be hoping for a similar to scenario to that of Big Buck's, who unseated his rider in the Hennessy and then went on to rule the staying hurdling division.
Saphir Du Rheu finished second to Cole Harden in the World Hurdle last season.
Stewart said: "He made two bad mistakes at Newbury, and that, combined with top weight in soft ground, was the end for him.
"Well done to Alan King, though, I've always had a soft spot for Smad Place after he finished third to Big Buck's in one of his World Hurdles.
"There's be no Gold Cup for Saphir in 2016 so he may as well go back over hurdles. There's a chance the World Hurdle is open this year. We could go down that route and then go back chasing next season.
"He's still only six, going on seven, so if he runs in next season's Gold Cup he'll still only be eight."
Sky Bet have cut Saphir Du Rheu to 10/1 from 20s for the World Hurdle which is a point longer than stablemate Aux Ptit Soins, Cole Harden and Thistlecrack and alongside Annie Power and Arctic Fire.
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Grasshopper said:
Don Poli entered in the Becher Chase.
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Dolatolo is one to note if on a going day first time out.
He was wearing different headgear all of 2014 as if an issue was there that needed resolving, now appears like he goes without headgear on Saturday...won towards this time of year in 2013 and 2014..likes to be up on the pace which I think you want here.
Has won lesser races with more than 11 stone on his back, due to carry 11 stone exact which looks like the right weight for this one. I'll be having a little bet at big odds in a difficult race to work out.
 
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