Racing: O'Neill poised to add to Cheltenham legend

There are two dawns at Cheltenham each morning, the rising of the sun and the statue of the great mare Dawn Run, the 1986 Gold Cup winner who gazes out across the parade ring from underneath her big-race jockey, Jonjo O'Neill.

They might have to smelt another statue for Jonjo after the opening afternoon of National Hunt racing's championships in the Cotswolds today. O'Neill, who now trains six miles away from Prestbury Park as the crow flies, at Jackdaws Castle, is responsible for the brilliant novice Rhinestone Cowboy and the established star Intersky Falcon in the £300,000 centrepiece of the first day, the Champion Hurdle.

If either succeed, the Irishman will become the first man since Fred Winter to train as well as ride a winner of hurdling's Blue Riband. O'Neill won the Champion Hurdle twice as a jockey on the jumping legends Sea Pigeon (1980) and Dawn Run (1984), while Winter went one better as a jockey before going on to win it four times as a trainer.

There is a strong football connection to O'Neill's two runners. Rhinestone Cowboy is the property of Sue Magnier, whose husband John, in conjunction with celebrated Irish punter JP McManus, has just purchased a further chunk of Manchester United.

Intersky Falcon is owned by a syndicate run by Terry McDermott and includes Alan Shearer among its 27-strong membership. The Newcastle striker will listen to the race on commentary as his side prepares for a Champions' League game against Inter in the San Siro tonight.