BIRCHDALE: 2019 Cheltenham winner makes debut for Enda Bolger at Ballybrit

The former Nicky Henderson trained Birchdale makes his stable debut for Enda Bolger at the Galway Festival on Friday evening in the Guinness Beginners Chase at 6:05pm.

The Jeremy gelding has not won since his Prestbury Park exploits back in January 2019, when he took advantage of a final flight mishap by Olly Murphy's Brewin'upastorm, left in clear isolation on the run-in.

However, he has struggled to pass the post first in his subsequent eight outings and was last seen being turned over as an odds-on favourite at Worcester.

On his racecourse reappearance just over two months later, he will remain in the ownership of JP McManus and tackles fences once again but has since swapped Seven Barrows for Howardstown.

Other intriguing runners in the contest include Joseph O'Brien's Busselton, who switches to chasing after creditable runs in graded races over timber, while Gloire D'athon shed his National Hunt maiden tag at Cork last time out.