The home team go in search of a greater share of the Festival's top prizes at Cheltenham 2022.
A year ago British runners took just five of the 28 races, as Ireland scooped a record 23.
Their incredible haul included the four feature contests – the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase, Stayers' Hurdle and Gold Cup.
The 2022 Festival begins on March 15 and hopes are high that the British horses can fare much better.
Nicky Henderson, Paul Nicholls, Dan Skelton and Alan King all have big chances through the week.
Shishkin is the odds on favourite to give Henderson a seventh Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Last year's Arkle Chase winner saw off Energumene in a thriller at Ascot and is a warm order to confirm that form at Prestbury Park.
If the markets prove correct, the Brits might actually be 3-0 up by the time Honeysuckle defends her Champion Hurdle crown in race four on the opening day.
We've picked out five runners British-trained runners with the best chance of defeating their dominant Irish counterparts.
Constitution Hill - Supreme Novices' Hurdle
Constitution Hill is one of the most exciting horses in training and he can get the 2022 Cheltenham Festival off to the best possible start for the Brits.
It won't be easy against the likes of Dysart Dynamo, Sir Gerhard and Kilcruit, but Constitution Hill has looked a superstar in his short hurdles career so far.
Not many horses win a Grade 1 by 12 lengths on just their second hurdles start.
The classy sort can follow in the footsteps of Altior and Shishkin, who have won this race for Nicky Henderson in recent years.
Edwardstone - Arkle Chase
Edwardstone heads into Tuesday's Arkle Chase as the horse to beat having won a Grade 1 and two Grade 2s in his last three starts.
No two mile novice chaser has been able to get near Alan King's charge since he was brought down at Warwick in November.
The way he galloped clear of Third Time Lucki in the Kingmaker last time strongly suggests he can account for the likes of Blue Lord and Riviere D'Etel in Tuesday's contest.
Shishkin - Queen Mother Champion Chase
No horse will test the nerves of Nicky Henderson more than Shishkin all week but the superstar two mile chaser looks 'banker' material to add a Queen Mother Champion Chase to his CV.
That already includes a Supreme Novices' Hurdle and an Arkle Chase.
Shishkin should have far too much power up the Cheltenham hill for his rivals in Wednesday's feature – and he's likely to be the cornerstone of many Cheltenham Festival accumulators.
Bravemansgame - Brown Advisory Novices' Chase
Paul Nicholls has never hidden the regard in which he holds Bravemansgame and his scopey seven-year-old can set himself up as a Gold Cup contender for 2023.
He has wasted no time in making into a better chaser than he was a hurdler.
Last time at Newbury, he could hardly have been any more impressive when giving lumps of weight to some improving rivals.
He couldn't handle Bob Olinger at last year's Cheltenham Festival but the landscape is very different this time around and Paul Nicholls' star novice can get his revenge.
Protektorat - Gold Cup
In what looks a wide-open renewal of the Gold Cup, Protektorat might just have what it takes to upset the big Irish players and provide Dan Skelton with his first success in the feature.
Protektorat raced into contention with an incredible 25-length victory in the Many Clouds Chase at Aintree in December, his first try at a trip beyond three miles.
He has been targeted at the Gold Cup ever since and connections have spoken positively about his chances.
Please Gamble Responsibly
Everyone at Reach is committed to promoting safer gambling. All of our content and recommended bets are advised to those aged 18 or over.
We strongly encourage our readers to only ever bet what they can afford to lose. For more information, please call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or visit begambleaware.org.
