Bannow still on course for Stayers Bannow Bay remains unchanged as 4/1 second favourite with Cashmans for the Bonusprint Stayers Hurdle at Cheltenham despite struggling to land the odds in the McCabe Builders Ltd Boyne Hurdle at Navan, writes Alan Magee.Charlie Swan needed to push the seven-year-old gelding right out to hold off Prince Of Tara by a neck in the three miles event, but trainer Christy Roche was quite happy afterwards saying, 'Anyone who has him backed for Cheltenham shouldn`t be tearing up their tickets. I thought he might get beaten today on this ground (officially soft). Charlie said it was very tacky.'Henry Afrika put himself in line for a crack at the Glenlivet Hurdle at Aintree after opening his jumping account in the Navan Golf Club Open For Membership Hurdle. Barry Geraghty sent the gelding past the front-running favourite Well Fella just after the final flight, and kept on well to score by two lengths.Winning trainer Gerry McArdle is currently on holiday in the USA, but his son Donal said afterwards, 'Our horses have all been wrong for the last six months. This was a decent horse on the Flat with Eddie Lynam, and the Lincoln at the Curragh is a likely early season target. He will certainly be entered for the Glenlivet Hurdle at Aintree.'No Discount (Ruby Walsh) put a number of disappointments over fences behind him when taking the Navan EBF Novice Chase in effortless fashion, and Ted Walsh may send him to Cheltenham for a staying handicap chase.Ruby Walsh doubled up later when giving Its Time For A Win a strong drive to take the Nobber EBF Handicap Chase, and trainer Willie Mullins will enter him in both the Grand Annual and the Mildmay Of Flete handicap chases at the Festival.
