NICO DE BOINVILLE will ride Angels Breath rather than Master Fisher in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle.
Nicky Henderson's number one revealed the news on his Unibet blog on Thursday morning.
Bookies have reacted accordingly, shortening the unexposed hurdler to 5-1 second favourite behind hot favourite Al Dancer.
De Boinville said: "I imagine it was a closer call than many will have thought, but I have decided to ride Angels Breath in the Supreme.
"I have an awful lot of time for Mister Fisher, and he has always shown us plenty at home.
"Crucially, he has translated that gallops ability to the track this season, with a victory over last weekend's Grade Two Kelso winner Rouge Vif at Kempton followed by such a success of his own when seeing off Bright Forecast in the Rossington Main at Haydock.
Download the new Sun Racing app today
THE new Sun Racing app is here - and it's sent the bookies running for cover.
The brilliant new app, which is free to download ahead of the Cheltenham Festival, features:
Head over to the App Store to download it for free.
"I clearly know the runner-up very well, and he is Ballymore-bound, so it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest were Mister Fisher to run a huge race in the Festival-opener.
"But I feel I am right to keep the faith in Angels Breath, not that I thought he lost anything in defeat in the Dovecote, bar the winning prize on the day."
LATEST CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL NEWS
Twenty-eight have been confirmed for the race which opens proceedings on Tuesday.
De Boinville also had news of his Champion Hurdle plans, which will see him take the ride on Brain Power rather than siding with Verdana Blue, on whom he won the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.
He added: "There is very little between him (Brain Power) and Verdana Blue in terms of talent, but the probability of soft ground - or at least on the soft side - on Tuesday has just swayed me.
"If they don't get much more rain though, I could be having second thoughts!"
The race received 14 confirmations on Wednesday, with Nicky Henderson's jolly Buveur D'Air likely to face a stern challenge.
Joining the Seven Barrows maestro's trio will be Espoir D'Allen, Farclas, Global Citizen, Melon, Petit Mouchoir, Sharjah, Silver Streak, Supasundae, Vision Des Flos, Apple's Jade and Laurina.
Posh Trish - Sun Racing ambassador Megan Nicholls talks through Ditcheat's big Cheltenham Festival contendersncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTErKynZpOke7a3jpyfnqSkmruprcxmnZ6rpJ7DoriMa2draF9tgnl%2BlG5raKaZmLxusMRmmaihnqu2rbjEZpinn5WhwG6u0Z6YraBf