WITH three Czech challengers, plus one Norwegian-trained raider, lining up for this afternoon's £30,000 Sporting Index Chase at Cheltenham there's a real international feel to the race.

Run over the unique cross-country course at Prestbury Park, contestants must negotiate a whole host of differing obstacles, including hedges and banks, as they tackle the daunting distance of three-miles-and seven-furlongs.

The three horses making the journey from the Czech Republic are Kedon, Centax, and Red Dancer.

Kedon and Centax are the most interesting, having finished third and fourth respectively in their home country's legendary steeplechase, the fearsome Velka Pardubicka, on October 13.

Neither can Trinitro, who won the Norwegian Grand National at Ovrevoll in 1999 be discounted, although on the downside he was a first fence casualty in the 2000 Martell Grand National at Aintree.

It would be fantastic for the sport if one of the "foreigners" could steal the show, but I reckon they could all succumb to the superior finishing speed of Ballystone (2.20).

Trainer Len Lungo loves nothing more than to have a winner at the headquarters of jump racing. Indeed his record at the Festival reads extremely favourably in the context of the relatively small number of runners he has had at the course during the past few years.

Lungo certainly takes a lot of trouble to handpick the horses he sends south from his Scottish stronghold and Ballystone's credentials are there for all to see, both in terms of staying power and sheer jumping ability.

There's also some cracking action at Newcastle, where the two-and-a-half-mile Novices' Chase is of particular interest.

Mary Reveley's Man Murphy (1.20) is likely to go off favourite, having scored impressively on his fencing debut at Kelso. But it won't be a pushover for Mary's six-year-old since word reaches me that Ferdy Murphy's Sea Drifting has been schooling brilliantly ahead of his first try over the bigger obstacles.

In the Saltwell Signs Handicap Hurdle Lord Pat (3.05) bids to take the money for the second year in a row.

Lord Pat is actually 5lb lower than when successful in 2001 and with the highly-experienced Brian Storey in the saddle the combination should not be opposed lightly.

If you're prepared to wait until the closing seven-furlong Littlewoods Bet Direct Handicap at Wolverhampton, Danielle's Lad (4.20) has an outstanding chance at the weights.

Brynn Palling's sprinter has a handy all-weather rating of just 78, together with the added bonus of top apprentice Dean Corby taking another 5lb off his back.

* Mick Fitzgerald has delayed his return to action after narrowly escaping serious injury in a crashing final-fence fall on Mighty Strong at Newbury.

The Irishman was hoping to come back at Cheltenham today but he has decided to wait another 24 hours.

''Both shoulders feel like they've been hit with a sledgehammer,'' said Fitzgerald.

''I was fully conscious throughout the whole thing and really it's a case of getting back to full fitness and hopefully be back for the weekend."

* Top jump jockey Dean Gallagher acknowledged yesterday that he does not expect to return to race-riding after he received a ban of nearly 18 months after testing positive for cocaine.

Having widely been expected to be suspended for two years or more, Gallagher admitted that it was a better result than anticipated when he was told at a Jockey Club hearing that he would not be able to reapply for his licence until May 1, 2004.

But the 33-year-old also said it was ''unlikely'' that he would return to riding, describing yesterday as ''the first day of the rest of my new life''.

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