Trainers have withdrawn more than 50 horses from Cheltenham Festival entries as they finalise their plans for jump racing's premier meeting.
Friday's confirmations stage for next Thursday's card saw significant movement, with connections making decisive choices about where to aim their runners.
Yet the most intriguing developments emerged not from the withdrawals but from which horses remained engaged in their races.
The fields will contract further from Sunday when the 48-hour declaration stage begins, giving a clearer picture of the final lineups.
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Removing a horse from one race does not necessarily end their Festival involvement, as many are simply being redirected to their primary targets.
Lossiemouth attracted significant betting support for the Champion Hurdle on Thursday, yet Willie Mullins has opted to keep the mare entered in the Mares' Hurdle for now.
Gordon Elliott has confirmed Wodhooh will line up in the same contest, setting up a clash between two of the leading contenders.
Trainers have withdrawn more than 50 horses from Cheltenham Festival entries as they finalise their plans for jump racing's premier meeting | GETTYThe decision to maintain Lossiemouth's Mares' Hurdle entry comes despite market moves suggesting she could step up to challenge for the championship race.
Elliott's Brighterdaysahead was taken out of the Mares' Hurdle, but only because she has been earmarked for the Champion Hurdle instead.
Fact To File has seen substantial market support for the Ryanair Chase, a move that appeared to signal Gaelic Warrior would be aimed at the Gold Cup.
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Owner Rich Ricci expressed his preference for the blue riband at Sun Racing's Cheltenham Festival Preview Night, stating he wanted to target next Friday's showpiece.
However, Mullins has retained both horses in the Gold Cup, where they finished first and second in last month's Irish Gold Cup.
The trainer's decision to keep his options open means the one-two from that Leopardstown contest could potentially reunite in Thursday's feature race.
The Grade 1 Stayers' Hurdle suffered notable losses at the confirmations stage, with dual winner Flooring Porter among those ruled out.
Removing a horse from one race does not necessarily end their Festival involvement, as many are simply being redirected to their primary targets
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Trainer Gavin Cromwell had already confirmed the popular horse's absence several days earlier.
Buddy One, French Ship, Potters Charm, The Yellow Clay, Nurse Susan and Wodhooh also failed to make the cut for the three-mile contest.
In the Kim Muir, well-supported Uhavemeinstitches was withdrawn after being declared for Gowran's Leinster National on Sunday.
JP McManus retains the market leaders, with 7-2 favourite Jeriko Du Reponet confirmed under top amateur Derek O'Connor alongside Henry de Bromhead's Waterford Whispers.