Lalor is one of a number of high-profile horses on show at Cheltenham on the first day of The International tomorrow.

The five-year-old features among eight runners for the opening British Stallion Studs EBF National Hunt Novices’ Hurdle (12.10pm) over two miles and a furlong.

Recent winners of the race include future G1 scorers Darlan (2011), Melodic Rendezvous (2012) and Pingshou (2016).

Lalor (Richard Woollacott) marked himself down as one of last season’s leading bumper performers, with a dominant victory in the G2 Weatherbys Private Bank Standard Open Bumper at Aintree’s Randox Health Grand National Festival in April, but has met with defeat on both his hurdle outings so far this season.

He just failed to reel in Onefortheroadtom when going down by a short-head at Exeter on 24th October, and forfeited his chance with a bad mistake at the last at Ascot on 24th November, when finishing third behind Mr One More.

Trainer Richard Woollacott, who is based in Devon, said today: “Lalor is very well. He is a big, weak horse, who is still learning. He was a bit unlucky the first time at Exeter and last time he probably came up against a couple of nice horses in Mr One More and Dr Des.

“The experience will have done him good and hopefully he can progress again.”

Lalor’s rivals tomorrow include Summerville Boy (Tom George), who was second to Slate House in the G2 Sky Bet Supreme Trial Novices’ Hurdle at The November Meeting, and fellow high-class bumper performer Western Ryder (Warren Greatrex).

Other eye-catching runners in the first race on the card include prolific mare Spice Girl (Martin Keighley) and the unbeaten Shoal Bay (Colin Tizzard).

There are four runners for the £25,000 Horse Comes First Novices’ Chase (12.45pm) over an extended three miles and a furlong. Wide-margin Exeter scorer Duel At Dawn (Alex Hales) and Sizing Tennessee (Colin Tizzard) are engaged.

The highlight of Cheltenham’s seven-race card is the £45,000 Unicoin Group Handicap Chase (2.30pm) with smart novice Wotzizname (Harry Fry) among the six runners for the three and a quarter mile contest.

The two-day International meeting continues on Saturday when the highlights are the £130,000 G2 Unibet International Hurdle (3.05pm, seven entries), in which The New One (Nigel Twiston-Davies) is going for a record-breaking fourth win, and the £120,000 Caspian Caviar Gold Cup (1.55pm, 17 confirmations), a prestigious handicap chase over two miles and five furlongs.