WAYNE Hutchinson will be hoping the luck of the Irish will take a turn for the worse on day two of the Cheltenham Festival as he looks for his first win of the week.

The Swindon-born jockey will be looking for the perfect start as he rides Ordo Ab Chao in the opening race but is wary of the threat from Ireland.

On day one of the festival five of the seven races were won by Irish trained horses, including four for Willie Mullins.

Meanwhile it was a disappointing start for Hutchinson as his only ride, L’Unique, fell at the last flight in the OLBG Mares Hurdle, suffering the same fate as red-hot favourite Annie Power.

“Personally I think there was quite a big shadow in front of the hurdle and, seeing the two falls, they were both very similar,” said Hutchinson.

“I think both horses have come up and taken off from where the shadow is and I would put it down to that.

“I don’t think it is any coincidence that both Annie Power and mine have had identical falls really.

“It was one of those things and that is racing.

“Thankfully she is ok and she would have ran very well and would have been in the prize money, she was staying on up the hill well but thankfully she got up and everyone is fine and she lives to fight another day.”

Hutchinson is confident about his chances on board Ordo Ab Chao in the Neptune Investment Management Novices´ Hurdle having won on the six-year-old in his last three outings.

However the former Dorcan pupil knows he will have to ride a strong race with the threat from across the Irish Sea, as all three favourites for the race, Nichols Canyon, Outlander and Windsor Park, are all trained in Ireland.

“Going by yesterday’s performance by the Irish novice hurdlers, they look a very good bunch,” he added.

“If you take the supreme novice as a guideline (where the top three, including winner Douvan, were all trained in Ireland). The first three in the betting are trained by the Irish and they look like they are going to be very difficult to beat.

“We have got to improve again and he has done nothing wrong, my lad, all season and he won well on trials day back here.

“He has got course and distance form and hopefully we’ll be competitive.”