The veteran former champion Klairon Davis may be about to make a remarkable fifth successive appearance at the Cheltenham Festival but his new jockey Conor O'Dwyer believes he will be no back number in the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Formerly the mount of Richard Dunwoody and Francis Woods, Klairon Davis came right back to form when O'Dwyer rode him for the first time at Fairyhouse in January. The 1995 Arkle and 1996 Champion Chase winner is currently a best priced 14 to 1 for the two-mile championship but O'Dwyer believes that this is not a vintage year for the minimum distance brigade.

"This year looks very ordinary, certainly nothing like when top horses like Deep Sensation and Viking Flagship were taking part," the Gold Cup-winning rider said yesterday.

"I see Edredon Bleu is currently favourite but he wants the ground as good as he can get it and while Call Equiname is a good horse, he wouldn't scare anyone away. If my horse comes back to his best, and at Fairyhouse it felt like he was, we must have a big shout. He feels like a good dig in the ground will suit him and from what I read that looks like what we will get," O'Dwyer added. O'Dwyer's other big hope for the Festival is the Citroen Supreme Novices' Hurdle favourite Joe Mac who hasn't been seen out since Christmas. O'Dwyer will also be on Royal Marine in the Coral Cup and possibly Glazeaway in the SunAlliance Hurdle.

Other Cheltenham news concerns Willie Mullins' smart novice Native-Darrig who will be allowed take his chance against His Song in the Arkle Trophy. The prolific winner had held alternative engagements over hurdles at the Festival but Mullins has opted to run him in the second race on the first day.