Cheltenham Festival: After series of shocks tension high ahead of showpiece Stayers' Hurdle

  The opening two days of the Festival have seen a succession of big fancies flatter to deceive, with Altior's first day Arkle Trophy win the only exception.

Douvan, considered a horse from another planet, was found lame after an erratic round of jumping in the Champion Chase left his legion of admirers very puzzled and a lot poorer.

The favourite many considered the most vulnerable at the meeting, Nicky Henderson's Might Bite, ironically did win but only in the most dramatic circumstances imaginable.

Clearing the final fence in the RSA Chase with a 20 length advantage, he suddenly slowed to a trot, allowing stable mate Whisper to draw level and ahead before finally restarting his motor to win in a photo finish.

The throng leaving Prestbury Park is starting to look like an army on its last legs, the war isn't over but the battles are taking their toll. Champagne and cigar sales are down, pints are being topped up with tears and bookies are strutting back to their cars with stuffed satchels and broad smiles. This is not how it should be. This is not what was planned.

But Fry is optimistic Uknowhatimeanharry can deliver a fairytale story in today's £300,000 stamina three-mile showpiece and put a second Festival win on his record after last year's Albert Bartlet Novices' Hurdle win.

Some believe breeding is everything in horses but Unowhatimeanharry does not come from fashionable stock. Four years ago he was advertised for sale in the classifieds of a magazine as an unraced four year old.

He won on his debut at Fontwell but his original owner was forced to sell him following a financial dispute, the horse pitching up in the Devon yard of rising star trainer Fry.

He gave the horse a breathing operation and after scoring at the first time of asking in November 2015, he has won his subsequent seven starts to race up the ratings.

"I normally just delete those emails that offer horses for sale but, for some reason, I read that one and decided to make a call," said Fry, who suffered a Cheltenham disappointment on Wednesday when favourite Neon Wolf lost the Neptune Novice's Hurdle in a photo finish.

"Uno just loves racing, he just keeps on winning for us and then he eats, sleeps and repeats. He's a wonderful horse and everything he achieves has been beyond our wildest dreams, it’s a really special story and this could be the best chapter in it.

"Wherever we have run him he also runs well but Cheltenham is really special, I think he's got a love affair with the place."

Fry admits his horse is not the best trainer, tending to do just enough at home and leave his performances for the racecourse.

But there are others to consider in the Stayers' Hurdle, a race won last year by Thistlecrack, the short-priced favourite for tomorrow's Gold Cup before injury ruled him out.

However, there must be some ground concerns, with Fry previously admitting he likes some cut and pulling him out of target races where he considered the surface to be riding too fast.

Conditions are currently described as good, good to soft in places after clerk of the course Simon Claisse and his team watered the track with ten millimetres last night.

Warren Greatrex's Cole Harden must come into consideration if you're worried about the vulnerability of this year's favourites and looking for a horse who you will know will love these conditions and then there is also former Champion Hurdle winner Jezki.

Cole Harden won this race in 2015 but finished fourth 12 months ago on an admittedly very similar surface.

"He seems in really good form," said Greatrex. "Last year I was scratching my head with him but he had a knee operation in the summer and has been brilliant since.

"He's a spring horse and he'll love the better ground. We respect them all but it will take a very good one to beat him."

Improbably Willie Mullins is still without a winner this week but saddles favourite Yorkhill in the JLT Novices' - a smart horse to get off the mark. Irish rival Gordon Elliott is the meeting's leading trainer with five wins from the first two days, with Henderson banking three winners.

Sportsbeat 2017