There is a terrific days racing in prospect at Cheltenham tomorrow for their Festival Trials Day. All eyes will be on the World Hurdle's antepost favourite Punchestowns (pictured) who runs in the Cleeve Hurdle, a race over 3 miles worth £60,000. The main race of the day will be the Letherby and Christopher Chase worth £100,000 run over 3 miles 1 furlong. I would love to see Halcon Genelardais win this but just wonder if this is far enough for him. He seems to need at least 3 miles 6 furlongs to bring his stamina into play. He could be a Grand National horse this year. Also on the card is the Betchronicle Steeple Chase, a handicap run over 2 miles 5 furlongs worth £60,000. There are two course and distance winners here in Stan and Mister McGoldrick. Both have plenty of weight now but Stan won fairly comfortably on New Years Day at Cheltenham. His trainer Venetia Williams's horses are in tremendous form and Stan could well win again. Away from Cheltenham my beloved Ipswich Town FC are at Stamford Bridge to play Chelsea in the FA Cup. This game might just be what the team needs to get them motivated and play as a team. There has been general disarray at Portman Road this season when expectations were so high back in August 2008. This game is a two horse race. 14/1 is a huge price for an away win. 5/1 the draw will be the saver. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours click on the sporting life. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

How time flies. It is now only 8 weeks to the Cheltenham Festival which commences on Tuesday 10th March and runs through to Friday 13th March 2009. These 4 days are to many of us the best 4 days racing in the calender year. The banker bet of the meeting for a lot of punters already is Binocular (pictured) in the Champion Hurdle. He is trained by Nicky Henderson for J.P.McManus. Nicky Henderson's first ever Cheltenham winner was See You Then who won the Champion Hurdle in 1985 and signalled the start of a three year dominance for See You Then. In 1985 Brown's Gazette was an odds on favourite for the Champion Hurdle but swerved violently at the start losing twenty lengths of ground. These circumstances were found to be a little bit "iffy" in later years as the jockey was Dermot Browne who was banned from racecourses in 1992 for 10 years and then a 20 year extension to his ban was added in 2002. Browne's Gazette was antepost favourite for the 1986 Champion Hurdle but unfortunately died on the racecourse in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle. However See You Then was a very good winner in 1985 as proved in the next two years. Of course J.P.McManus has won the Champion Hurdle before with Istabraq who won for him in 1998,1999 and 2000. Istabraq might well have made it 4 wins in 2001 but the Cheltenham Festival was lost entirely to the devastating foot and mouth disease. Binocular is still only five. He might well be something special and go on and emulate Istabraq. Lets hope he keeps fit and well. He is in very good hands. For all the latest Festival news click on Cheltenham. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".