Fitzdares

Five things to look out for 1. Every Cheltenham Festival has an Irish ‘banker’ bet, but only the most charismatic horses make the further leap to legendary status: in the 1960s, the three-time Gold Cup winner Arkle was perhaps the greatest example, and in subsequent decades champions Dawn Run, Danoli and Istabraq followed. More recently, however, nothing has entirely fitted the bill, but the brilliant mare Honeysuckle, a leading contender for the Champion Hurdle on day one, could change all that. The possibility revolves around an undefeated record — 11/11 — her jockey being Rachael Blackmore, one of Ireland’s leading female sporting figures, plus an all-important catchy name. 2.