Noland set for racecourse gallop

Noland, currently the 9-2 favourite for the Arkle Trophy at the Cheltenham

Festival, is set to have a final outing at Sandown on Friday before his big

test.

Paul Nicholls' 2006 Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner has only had one start over

fences to date, an effortless victory at Folkestone last month.

However, the champion trainer believes he may have picked up a small infection

that day, hence his absence since.

"Noland is in really fine form, he was schooling yesterday," said Nicholls on

Channel 4's The Morning Line.

"He just took a while to get over Folkestone, I think he picked up a bug that

day.

"But he is right again now. We just need some rain and he will go to Sandown

on Friday."