Hampshire handler Richard Bandey Diesel D'Allier's is hoping the current wet and squally weather continues into March for Diesel D'Allier's bid for Cheltenham cross-country glory.

Diesel D'Allier has already had two Glenfarclas Chase prep runs for Bandey around the unique circuit this season, finishing a close-up third in November before loving the testing conditions when beating Potters Corner by a nose the following month.

The nine-year-old also won at Cheltenham in 2019 for French trainer Emmanuel Clayeux and finished fourth behind Easysland at the Festival that season.
Bandey said: "Fingers crossed it keeps raining! We've just been messing around on the farm keeping him fresh and well and we're just picking things up a bit more now.
"He's in great form and we just hope for some soft ground. We go there with a great chance of finishing in the top six and anything more than that is a bonus."
Bandey also delivered an update on one of the other stars of his Plantation Farm stable, Saint Palais.

The Mandarin Chase winner couldn't quite make it a four-timer when bringing up the rear behind Ahoy Senor in Wetherby's Grade 2 Towton Novices' Chase.

"He's come out of Wetherby really well. You could look at it and think it was disappointing, but I wasn't - I thought he ran a great race until five out," Bandey added.
"It wasn't a race run to his strengths. Ahoy Senor turned it into a sprint in the home straight and it probably took a five-year-old off his feet as its probably the fastest he's gone over the last four fences in a race.
"Harry (Bannister) said he was very happy turning for home and thought if he jumped four out really well then he would be in with a squeak.
"If they had gone a good, serious gallop throughout, I think he would have been in with every chance."
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