Most jockeys would pay to have had the Cheltenham choices of Ruby Walsh. Kauto Star or Denman? Master Minded or Twist Magic? The rest of the weighing-room is green with envy, yet one Walsh decision backfired prematurely yesterday.

Walsh had excused himself from Ebaziyan, trained by Willie Mullins, to ride De Valira in the Champion Hurdle but that horse was scratched after a schooling injury.

Perhaps inevitably, Walsh was not left on the shelf for long. Edward O'Grady, the most accomplished of present Irish trainers at Cheltenham, had bided his time over a jockey for Catch Me, and pounced gratefully on Walsh's availability.

Jazz Messenger was another Irish defector from the opening-day feature but 17 will run, testament to the open nature of the race. Mick Fitzgerald has chosen Afsoun over Punjabi and has also decided to partner Khyber Kim, rather than stablemate Sentry Duty, in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle that starts the meeting.

One pending decision belongs to Robert Thornton, who is agonising over the merits of Blazing Bailey and My Way De Solzen in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle. “I change my mind every day,” Thornton said. “It's the trickiest choice I've ever had to make, because they are both versatile horses and ground will not be an issue. Alan [King, the trainer] has given me until Monday night.”

By then, Tony McCoy will have completed three days of crucial match practice after his eight-week injury absence. His return, at Sandown on Saturday, was greeted by a flock of photographers, camera phones and autograph hunters and he was even applauded into the paddock.

The fairytale winner did not eventuate, though McCoy threw his mount at the last flight with such passion it almost fell. “I thought he had wings,” he said ruefully later. The public feels the same about the champion and bookmakers are frantically slashing his price to be top rider at the Festival.