Cheltenham preview: More Of That takes Cross Country challenge

JP McManus fields four of the nine runners in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham on Friday.

Among them is the Jonjo O'Neill-trained 2014 Stayers' Hurdle winner More Of That, while the other three McManus-owned runners are trained by race specialist Enda Bolger, with Josies Orders a hot favourite to add another win over this unique course to his name.

The nine-year-old won the corresponding race two years ago and followed up at the Festival in the same season, but he was surprisingly beaten over Punchestown's banks course last time out.

Bolger also runs Cantlow, winner of this race last year, and the seven-year-old My Hometown.

McManus' racing manager Frank Berry admitted he hopes a new challenge will help rekindle the spark in More Of That.

"He's struggling a bit at the minute and this is a decent opportunity to give him a new lease of life, so we'll see how he gets on," said Berry.

More Of That, who won the Stayers Hurdle in 2014, runs in the cross country event at Cheltenham on Friday (PA)

"He hasn't been around the course before, but he's schooled well at home."

He added: "With Cantlow and Josies Orderes, you know where you are, they are going in good form, they like the place and have run well there before so we just hope they all turn up and run a good race on the day."

Michael Scudamore's Kingswell Theatre will need to defy an 8lb higher mark after making all over the course in November.

Peter Maher is also no stranger to success over the Cross Country course at Cheltenham, having saddled Big Shu to win the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at The Festival in 2013.

On Friday Maher will rely on Mtada Supreme, who got the better of Josies Orders by a nose last time out in the Risk Of Thunder Chase at Punchestown. The 12-year-old was in receipt of 7lb from Josies Orders in that contest, which was a conditions race, but is set to receive 13lb this time.

"Mtada Supreme has been a great servant to us and if we can run into a place at Cheltenham tomorrow I'd be happy as I think the ground might have gone against him a bit," Maher said on Thursday.

"Last time out, we got a run on Josies Orders and he just couldn't reel us in that day. We know that Josies Orders is a great horse and is brilliant around Cheltenham. Tomorrow's distance will also help Josies Orders as three miles is probably a bit sharp for him.

"The pull at the weights with Josies Orders gives us some hope. Mtada Supreme has a nice racing weight with 10st 3lb but the going is the key to him, as he prefers good ground. It was loose on top at Punchestown and he coped with it, so hopefully it will be similar at Cheltenham. Hopefully, we have a good each-way chance."

In the opening British Stallion Studs EBF "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle Richard Woollacott will be hoping Lalor can open his account at the third time of asking.

He won the Aintree bumper last spring but has taken time to warm to his task over hurdles.

Woollacott said: "Lalor is very well. He is a big, weak horse, who is still learning. He was bit unlucky the first time at Exeter and last time he probably came up against a couple of nice horses in Mr One More and Dr Des.

"The experience will have done him good and hopefully he can progress again."

He faces some nice youngsters in Shoal Bay for Colin Tizzard and Warren Greatrex's Western Ryder, while Tom George's Summerville Boy was second to the highly regarded Slate House last time out.

The £45,000 Unicoin Group Handicap Chase has attracted six runners, headed by Paul Nicholls' Southfield Theatre, who wears blinkers for the first time.

Colin Tizzard's Robinsfirth, Harry Fry's Whatzizname and the Scudamore-trained Mysteree, runner-up in the Midlands National when last seen, feature in the small but select field.