Who will be top trainer and jockey at Cheltenham Festival? Willie Mullins and Paul Townend pair to beat on latest odds

WILLIE MULLINS might be a Festival shoo-in for top trainer.

But in the fight to be top jockey this week at Cheltenham, things could get feisty.

Sportsfile

Jockey Paul Townend will be hoping for more than two winners this week at Cheltenham[/caption]

If Mullins does have a good four days, then favourite Paul Townend is likely to be hard to catch at the top.

With favourites Chacun Pour Soi and Appreciate It to ride on the opening day, his odds of 4-11 with Coral may quickly shorten.

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But Jack Kennedy (10-3), Nico De Boinville (12-1) and Rachael Blackmore (14-1) all have plenty of aces up their sleeves too.

Kennedy will ride the majority of Denise Foster’s horses with Davy Russell ruled out injured.

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Ballyadam in the Supreme and Champion Hurdle chance Abacadabras could see the 20-year-old off to a flyer before he partners favourite Galvin in the National Hunt Chase.

De Boinville was dealt a blow when Altior was ruled out of the Champion Chase, but Shishkin will surely get him on the board early.

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Meanwhile Blackmore has firepower wherever you look, with Honeysuckle likely to go off favourite in the Champion Hurdle and A Plus Tard in the Gold Cup.

Outsiders Harry Skelton, Mark Walsh and Aidan Coleman (all 16-1) will need to spring a few surprises.

Mullins is as short as 1-5 to be crowned top trainer for a seventh time in nine years. Al Boum Photo, Monkfish and Kilcruit are just three of his stars he has to run this week.

Henry De Bromhead shortened into 6-1 when the likes of Envoi Allen made their way to his yard and he could be the one to pounce if there were any Mullins hiccups.

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Of the Brits, Nicky Henderson is by far the shortest at 13-2, with Paul Nicholls and Dan Skelton both 25-1.

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