Arnaud goes for Imperial Cup glory for Byrnes and Russell

Racing: The Charles Byrnes-trained Arnaud is set to fly a cross-channel pathfinder mission to Sandown's Paddy Power Imperial Cup this afternoon ahead of Gigginstown Stud's Cheltenham sortie next week.

Ireland’s Gold Cup hope Sir Des Champs heads a long list of festival hopefuls owned by Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary whose number one jockey, Davy Russell, misses Gowran today in order to team up with Arnaud in the big handicap hurdle.

Arnaud was last behind So Young on his last start at Gowran, and hasn’t won a race in almost 15 months, but the sponsors rate him just a 16/1 shot in a hugely competitive field.

It is seven years since the Ado McGuinness trained Victram last won the Imperial Cup for Ireland.

Nina Carberry, a four-time festival winner as a jockey, will enjoy a landmark moment in her career on an otherwise ordinary Gowran fixture when Peak Raider will be her first runner as a trainer in the handicap chase.

“His last few runs have been a bit disappointing, so Im just hoping he can improve a bit,” said Carberry who has booked Davy Condon to ride. “He’s the only horse I’m training at the moment, I have a few younger horses of my own. I’m doing a bit of buying and selling and that’s the main reason I’ve taken the licence out.”

Glam Gerry could be a winner here, teaming with Danny Mullins who looked to generate some improvement in the horse’s jumping after a first fence mistake in the Leopardstown Chase.

A host of promising point-to-point winners line up in a bumper won by no less than First Lieutenant in 2010 and the Gigginstown colours could emerge best with the Carberry-ridden Rockdown while another point winner, Marlbrook, may be the one in the opener.

A Cheltenham festival preview programme will be aired at 9.15 tonight on TG4, featuring visits to the yards of Willie Mullins, Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson. It will be repeated tomorrow at 6.25pm.