Just five weeks to go now until the greatest race meeting in the world begins, the Cheltenham four day festival. At Leopardstown in Ireland on Sunday Dunguib was mighty impressive and for all the big "hitters" he will surely be the banker of the 2010 meeting. In 1978 the Irish trainer, Edward O'Grady, had a simlar horse to Dunguib in his care called Golden Cygnet. Golden Cygnet came over to Cheltenham undefeated in four races over hurdles. The Irish would not hear of defeat for Golden Cygnet and with odds of 5/4 laid on him he toyed with his seventeen rivals in the Supreme Novice Hurdle. As soon as he had passed the post he was being hailed as the 1979 Champion Hurdler. I can see Dunguib carrying all the same expectations as Golden Cygnet. Lets hope he gets to take his chance in the 2011 Cheltenham Champion Hurdle. Tragically, a bad fall at the last flight in the Scottish Champion Hurdle in April 1978 left Golden Cygnet fatally injured and robbed hurdling of its most exciting recruit for years. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

It was good to finally get some top class racing back again last weekend after all the cancelled meetings due to the cold weather. C4 served up an exciting afternoon from Haydock where Diamond Harry was impressive for his first run over fences, and Ascot where Twist Magic won as he pleased and provides Paul Nicholls with a live second string for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March. ATR covered the Leopardstown meeting in Ireland on Sunday and here Solwhit was a good winner and consequently promoted to favourite for the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle. As always at this time of year all roads lead to the Cheltenham Festival and this Saturday (30th) Cheltenham stages their Festival Trials Day. I am sure they are hoping that Denman puts in an appearance. He will surely put a few extra thousand on the gate. He is engaged in the Argento (Cotswold Chase) worth £100,000 and run over 3 miles 1 furlong. Last years winner Joe Lively is also engaged along with Madison Du Berlais, Barbers Shop and Carruthers. Barbers Shop has a second option as he is also engaged in the Betfair Trophy Chase worth £50,000 run over 2 miles 5 furlongs. The Betfair Cleeve Hurdle worth £50,000 and run over 3 miles looks as though it could be between Karabak and Fair Along. Lets hope the cold weather stays away and the meeting can go ahead. For all the latest news from the course click on Cheltenham. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

The Cheltenham Boylesports International Meeting gets underway today (Friday) with some great racing in prospect culminating with the International Hurdle worth £150,000 tomorrow. This race looks to be a rematch of last years Cheltenham Champion Hurdle where Punjabi just beat Celestrial Halo and Binocular. Barry Geraghty rides Punjabi and come next March he might have a difficult choice to make between Punjabi and Zaynar (pictured) who was mighty impressive at Ascot. Zaynar runs tomorrow in the Relkeel Hurdle which is the last race on the card. The big betting race is the Boylesports.com Gold Cup Handicap Chase worth £150,000 and run over 2 miles 5 furlongs. It looks a very open affair with a lot of old favourites running. There are some interesting runners coming over from Ireland and the pot might well go back across the Irish Sea with Sky's The Limit if he puts his best foot forward. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

For the third Saturday running Ruby Walsh and Paul Nicholls won the "big" race. Kauto Star just at Haydock, Denmans demolition job at Newbury and Twist Magics' pillar to post at Sandown. All three horses were superbly ridden by Ruby Walsh and of course brilliantly trained by the Paul Nicholls team. Denmans (pictured left) performance under top weight in the Hennessy was a Cheltenham Gold Cup winning performance. Will Ruby Walsh pick Denman as his Gold Cup ride or will he stay loyal to Kauto Star. If both horses get to Cheltenham fit and well in March 2010 it promises to be another great race between the two stable companions. The excitement is already mounting and Denmans performance in the Hennessy has seen a rush for tickets for Gold Cup day. For tickets and all the latest news from Cheltenham click here. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

The 3 Day Cheltenham Open Meeting got underway today (Friday 13th) and certainly whetted our appetites for the months ahead. Tomorrow sees the feature race of the three days the Paddy Power Gold Cup Chase worth £150,000 and run over 2 miles 4 furlongs. It does look a very tricky affair and with the anticipated heavy rain forecast the ability to act on the going and stay beyond the race distance will be a major factor. According to Pete might well fit the bill. He did all his racing over 3 miles last season winning four times. He has to be kept to left-handed courses, likes to make the running and has a good racing weight tomorrow. Maljimar (pictured) ran well in this race last year and eventually finished seventh. Next time out he very nearly won at the Festival in the William Hill Trophy where he lost by a neck to Wichita Lineman who was given a fantastic ride by Tony McCoy. This year Maljimar runs in the Servo Trophy Handicap Chase worth £55,000 and run over 3 miles 3 furlongs. He has already had a run over the Cheltenham course this season which should have put him spot on for tomorrow. He has to be patiently ridden which should help him stay the distance of this race which is unknown territory for him. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

What a fabulous four days racing we all had at the Cheltenham Festival last week. The Gold Cup showed that Kauto Star and Denman are way ahead of the other three mile Chasers and we are already counting down to their rematch in 2010. Lets hope they stay fit and well. It might well be Denmans' turn to regain his crown next year. Heres counting down. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

Well we are at Day 4 already of the Cheltenham Festival 2009 and it will soon be all over for another 12 months. The main race today and the highlight of the whole meeting is the Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup worth £475,000 run over 3 miles 2 furlongs. Kauto Star (pictured) will make history if he can regain his crown. After the defeats of Binocular,Voy Por Ustedes and Kasbah Bliss can another "good thing" bite the dust? He clearly looks the best on all form. Denman looked very ring rusty on his return in the Levy Board Chase at Kempton where he was beaten 23 lengths by Madison Du Berlais. In the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury at the end of November Madison Du Berlais had cheekpieces fitted for the first time and showed improved form in beating Air Force One. Big Bucks was right there coming to the last before he unseated his rider. The form of the race now looks solid after Big Bucks win in the World Hurdle on Thursday. Air Force One disappointed in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day where he injured himself. Kauto Star was a majestic winner of this race. Air Force One, Kauto Star and Exotic Dancer have all had breaks since the end of December in which to freshen them up. Tony McCoy has chosen Exotic Dancer ahead of Albertas Run as his ride. Kauto Star should make history but perhaps we might see a new kid on the block run into a place at big odds in Air Force One. He is still only a seven year old and is worth following whatever. The first race on the card is the JCB Triumph Hurdle worth £120,000 run over 2 miles 1 furlong for 4 year olds only. This looks a very hot contest. It would be nice to see Alan King and Robert Thornton get some compensation for the defeat of Voy Por Ustedes with Walk On. The trainer rates him highly but then the same applies to the trainers of Zaynar, Ebadiyah, Master of Arts and Reve De Sivola, just to name a few! Walk On is a course and distance winner and I hope he can win over the course again. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

The feature race on the third day of the Cheltenham Festival is the Ladbrokes World Hurdle for which Kasbah Bliss (pictured) is a warm favourite to win this £260,000 race run over 3 miles. Kasbah Bliss ran second to Inglis Drever in this race last year and seems an even better horse this year. He was very impressive in his pipeopener at Haydock and will be very hard to beat here. Punchestowns showed improved form running over this longer trip at the beginning of the season, but Kasbah Bliss comes here a fresh horse and will be difficult to beat. The race before the big one is the Ryanair Chase worth £220,000 run over 2 miles 5 furlongs. Voy Por Ustedes will be a warm order for this and will have most to fear from last years winner Our Vic and Imperial Commander. The fifth race is the Freddie Williams Festival Plate Handicap Chase worth £90,000 run over 2 miles 5 furlongs and named after the fearless bookmaker the late Freddie Williams. Finger on the Pulse won over course and distance at the Cheltenham Festival last year when he beat Barbers Shop and I am sure will run well here. With the going drying out it might well help the top weight Stan who is also a course and distance winner. His trainer Venetia Williams won this race with Idole First two years ago. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

The Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase worth £320,000 is the feature race on Wednesday. This race run over 2 miles looks as though it will be won again by Master Minded (pictured). If Well Chief has retained his ability after such a long lay off then we might see a race to savour. 14/1 is a huge price about him. Earlier on the card we have the Ballymore Properties Novices Hurdle worth £120,000 run over 2 miles 5 furlongs. Mikael D'Haquenet and Diamond Harry make most appeal here. This race is followed by the Royal Sun Alliance Chase worth £170,000 run over 3 miles for novice staying chasers. It was won last year by Albertas Run. Carruthers would be a hugely popular winner of this. He will probably have most to fear from Cooldine whose form was given a boost by Forpadydeplasterer on Tuesday. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

Well the waiting is nearly over and The Cheltenham Festival gets underway tomorrow with the feature race being the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle run over 2 miles and worth £370,000. Binocular is a worthy favourite for this and could easily become one of the "greats". I have seen a lot of excellent Hurdlers over the years but the best has to be Night Nurse (pictured on right) who won the Champion Hurdle in 1976 when a five year old and then in 1977 when a six year old. In 1976 he started at 2/1 favourite and made all the running to win on good to firm ground. In 1977 the ground was heavy and the bookmakers opposed Night Nurse because of this. He made all the running again and beat a little known five year old by the name of Monksfield. Night Nurse's odds were a very rewarding 15/2. Binocular is also a five year old and acts on soft ground which he will encounter tomorrow. He is owned by J.P.McManus who also has very good chances of winning the Cross Country Chase with L'Ami. Last years winner also owned by J.P.McManus, Garde Champetre, is a very able second string. Tomorrow's proceedings get underway with the Supreme Novices Hurdle worth £120,000 run over two miles. Cousin Vinney was an impressive winner of the Bumper last year and would be a popular winner of this. The William Hill Trophy Handicap Chase worth £90,000 and run over 3 miles looks a very difficult race to solve. Maljimar, Star De Mohaison and Wichita Lineman are the three on my short list. Be lucky. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

We should not wish our time away but there is now only one week to go to the greatest four days racing in the world. The last year has flown by in anticipation after all the excitement at the Cheltenham Festival of 2008. My first visit to the racecourse was in 1964 and I was lucky enough to see Arkle (pictured) win the first of his three Gold Cups. Can Kauto Star regain his crown ? He is a very warm order to do it so I am sure there is going to be some eachway value elsewhere. As always the going will be crucial and unbelievably after all the rain we have had Cheltenham are watering parts of the New Course. For the very latest Cheltenham news click on Cheltenham. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

It is only 5 weeks now to the 2009 Cheltenham Gold Cup where all going well Denman (pictured) and Kauto Star will renew their rivalry. The weather has caused havoc with racing recently so lets hope the Kempton meeting can go ahead tomorrow. Denman was down to run at Newbury but an excellent card has been lost there so he now runs in the Levy Board Chase over 3 miles at Kempton. He should win this and cement his place at the head of Gold Cup betting. The weather is no better over in Ireland where their Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup Meeting due to take place on Sunday has been abandoned. Fortunately this has now been re-arranged for Sunday 15th February. Here Willie Mullins, who has such a strong hand of young Hurdlers, will hope to get a run into some of his Cheltenham hopefuls. In his care he has Cousin Vinny, Hurricane Fly, Mikael D'Haguenet and Quiscover Fontaine. For the runners and riders with the jockeys colours click on the sporting life and for all the upto date news from Cheltenham click on Cheltenham. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

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".

The Cheltenham Boylesports Meeting gets underway today (Friday) with the feature race being the Boylepoker.com Chase worth £100,000 run over 3 miles and one furlong. It will be interesting to see how Character Building (pictured) runs. He was well fancied for the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup but was withdrawn on the morning of the race. Mon Mome ran well last time. There is a terrific card on Saturday with the Boylesports International Hurdle worth £200,000 being a Champion Hurdle trial. Already all roads lead to The Festival in March 2009. Binocular is antepost favourite at the moment for the Champion Hurdle and will have to defeat Katchit the reigning Champion tomorrow to maintain that position. At The Festival last March when Captain Cee Bee beat Binocular they covered the course two seconds faster than Katchit did later that afternoon. Tony McCoy rides Binocular tomorrow and he also comes in for the ride on Finger Onthe Pulse in the Boylesports Gold Cup Handicap Chase worth £150,000 run over 2 miles five furlongs. This will be the big betting race of the day. Finger Onthe Pulse is a course and distance winner along with Imperial Commander and Stan. Imperial Commander is a very short price after his impressive win in the Paddy Power Gold Cup Chase. Both have reliable form with Barbers Shop. Punchestowns will be a warm favourite for the Relkeel Hurdle worth £45,000 run over 2 miles four furlongs. He looks a live contender for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at The Festival next March. For all the runners and riders with the jockeys 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".

The three day Cheltenham Open Meeting gets underway on Friday 14th with the main race of the meeting being the Paddy Power Gold Cup Chase worth £150,000 run over 2 miles 4 furlongs on Saturday. I listed past winners of this race in my blog of twelve months ago so will not go over that ground again. There have been some good horses win this race and Saturday's renewal looks very competitive and hard to solve. The two horses that most appeal to me are Maljimar and Stan. Both are course and distance winners. Maljimar was particularly impressive when winning by 11 lenghs from Burntoakboy back in January on Festival Trials Day. Perhaps we might see a repeat of the happy connections pictured coming into the winners enclosure again. Stan won the Mears Group Silver Trophy Handicap over 2 mile 5 furlongs on the course back in April when he beat Il Duce who was runnerup in this race last year. Stan has already had a run this season whereas it will Majimar's first run for 259 days. There is a big field for the Servo Computer Services Trophy Handicap Chase worth £60,000 run over 3 miles and 3 furlongs on Saturday. Although he has top weight Halcon Genelardais looks the one to be on for this race. Alan King the trainer has said that the horse is well so lets hope he can get his head in front at least once this season. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours click on the sporting life. Be lucky. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

With the Cheltenham Festival over for another year this week has seemed very "flat". The time has been spent enjoying the recordings on my Sky+ box of Channel 4's excellent coverage of the meeting. Even when the second day was abandoned the program they put out to "kill" time was highly entertaining. We then had the feast of six races from the course on Thursday and Friday. For me the highlight of the meeting was the performance of Inglis Drever in the World Hurdle. He showed what a tough horse he is by winning his third World Hurdle. The record books show that no other horse has achieved this, although Baracouda and Crimson Embers who both won two came close to making it three. Baracouda's attempt in 2001 was foiled by the meeting being cancelled due to foot and mouth. He won the subsitute race at Sandown and then proceeded to win the Stayers Hurdle in 2002 and 2003. He also finished second in 2004 and 2005. In 2005 he was beaten by the new kid on the block, Inglis Drever. Crimson Embers won the race in 1982 and 1986 and was unlucky in not being awarded the race in 1985 after being badly hampered by his stable companion on the run-in. Inglis Drever missed the race in 2006 due to a tendon strain in his near-fore. It shows what a tough horse he is to come back from that and what a great job the Howard Johnson team have done with the horse, especially his devoted lass, Ginny Wright, seen in the picture chasing Inglis Drever up the Cheltenham hill. Who knows he might well be back in 2009 to make it four wins. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

For those of you old enough to remember, Denman reminds me so much of Mill House who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1963 when only a six year old. Denman was mighty impressive last Friday when he won the Cheltenham Gold Cup and proved that he is a real stayer. On the softened going and with the strong gallop that Denman set, the rest of the field would have needed to be able to stay three and a half miles. Kauto Star is a super horse over three miles. He was fortunate in the Gold Cup last year that his stable companion Neptune Collonges set a steady pace which allowed about eight horses still to be in contention when they turned into the straight. Kauto Star was able to use his turn of foot to win the race and beat Exotic Dancer by two and a half lengths. Neither of those horses were able to get anywhere near Denman this year. I doubt if we will see a re-match. On soft ground at Cheltenham and if he stays fit and free from injury Denman will always beat Kauto Star over the Gold Cup distance. However Clive Smith has another super horse in Master Minded. It will be very interesting to see how he is campaigned as a six year old. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

The Queen Mother Champion Chase unveiled a new two mile champion in Master Minded. I first went to Cheltenham in 1963 with my good mates Colin and Pete. We were there in 1964 when Flyingbolt appeared on the scene winning the Gloucester Hurdle. In 1965 he won the Cotswold Chase over two miles and then in 1966 he won the Two Mile Champion Chase by fifteen lengths before finishing third in the Champion Hurdle the next day. Flyingbolt was breathtaking over two miles, but he did stay as well. He finished his season in 1966 by winning the Irish Grand National under 12-7. For a five year old Master Minded's performance last Thursday on Day 3 of Cheltenham was equally breathtaking. He romped up the Cheltenham hill having seen off some very good two mile chasers. He looks as though he will stay further and could be anything. What a lucky man Clive Smith is to own this horse as well as Kauto Star. The countdown has already started to next years Cheltenham Festival. Lets hope all the stars stay fit and well so we can enjoy another great feast of National Hunt racing. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

The waiting is nearly over for the clash between Kauto Star and Denman in the £450,000.00 Cheltenham Gold Cup which will be the centre piece of a nine race card on Friday. I have already mentioned in previous blogs that I am a Denman fan and I expect him to make the race a true test of stamina and outstay Kauto Star. A race to watch and savour I think, but I am hoping Halcon Genelardais makes the frame. Earlier in the afternoon Aigle D'or in the Ballymore Properties Novices Hurdle and Franchoek in £120,000.00 JCB Triumph Hurdle should give J.P.McManus two more winners. Heres hoping and be lucky. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

A ten race card will be a marathon for everybody this afternoon. Channel 4 are covering six races so us armchair viewers are in for a feast of racing. The £250,000.00 World Hurdle for long distance hurdlers should be won by Inglis Drever if he can show the same form he produced on Cheltenham Trials day when he beat Blazing Bailey. Ruby Walsh rides Blazing Bailey this afternoon as Robert Thornton rides My Way De Solzen. I hope the £200,000.00 Ryanair Chase is won by The Listener. He has been in great form this season. All his runs have been in Ireland where he has been finding the softer ground. It will interesting to see if the ground has dried out at all after the strong winds of yesterday. I do not think there will be any falling asleep in the armchair this afternoon! Be Lucky and enjoy some fabulous racing. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

On form the runners with the best chances for the £310,000.00 Queen Mother Champion Chase are Master Minded, Twist Magic, Voy Por Ustedes and Tamarinbleu. With more rain forecast the going will become softer favouring those who stay further than two miles. Tamarinbleu trained by David Pipe and to be ridden by Tom Scudamore looks as though they can follow up their win with An Accordian on Day 1. Tamarinbleu does stay three miles and can handle the testing conditions. Tony McCoy could ride the first two winners. In the first race, the Ballymore Properties Novices Hurdle, he rides Aigle D'or for J.P.McManus. Aigle D'or won nicely on Trials Day and is a course and distance winner. The second race is the £250,000.00 Royal and Sun Alliance Chase and here he rides Alberta's Run for Trevor Hemmings, another great supporter of National Hunt Racing. I will again be glued to Channel 4's excellent coverage of the first four races. Be lucky. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

Day 1 belonged to John P. McManus and Robert Thornton who both had two winners. Robert Thornton booted home Captain Cee Bee in the first race to give J.P.McManus a deserved 1-2. He has over two hundred and fifty horses in training and for all the money he pours into N.H.Racing and pleasure he gives to the rest of us he deserves success. Last season he had horses with thirty-three different trainers in Ireland besides those he had with trainers in Britain. His main base in Britain is at Jackdaws Castle where Jonjo ONeill is his trainer. His second winner of the afternoon was Garde Champetre in the Cross Country Chase ridden by Nina Carberry and trained by Enda Bolger. The same team won the corresponding race last year. Robert Thornton's second winner was on Katchit in the Champion Hurdle. This was a gruelling race and a very gutsy performance by Katchit who outstayed everything else in the race. The softened going had made the race a real test of stamina which did not suit the more fancied runners. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

Well 12 months of waiting is over and at 2.00pm on Tuesday afternoon as the tapes rise the roar will go up from the Prestbury Park crowds to announce the start of the 2008 Cheltenham Festival. The centre piece on Tuesday will be the £360,000.00 Champion Hurdle run over 2 miles. Looking through the runners and riders the race looks an open one to me although there is a warm favourite in Sizing Europe. Three years ago Harchibald looked as though he should have won the Champion Hurdle when being beaten by Hardy Eustace. He was in fine form in a recent Flat race at Dundalk and I hope this year Paul Carberry can deliver him at the last moment to win the race. I know he is a "monkey" of a horse but I am prepared to take a chance with him. Punjabi ran a tremendous race under top weight in the Totesport Trophy Hurdle at Newbury when not fully fit and could be the each way value. In the William Hill Trophy at 4.00pm last years fourth Mon Mome goes again and could be a big price winner for Venetia Williams. Ashkazar will be a warm order for the last race run at 5.20pm. I did not see his win in the Imperial Cup at Sandown last Saturday but records show the Pipe stable are top class in following up with another win at the Cheltenham Festival with the same horse to claim a £75,000.00 bonus. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

Three weeks today the Cheltenham Festival begins and every National Hunt enthusiast will be eagerly awaiting the Cheltenham Gold Cup which will be run on Friday 14th March. There will be a packed winners circle for every race and no gaps as there were on Trials Day in January. Kauto Star will be opposed by his stable companion Denman for the first time. I must admit to being a Denman fan. I use to be a Mill House fan in the days of Arkle but there was nothing that could stop Arkle, apart from the terrible injury he sustained in the 1966 King George VI Chase at Kempton. Kauto Star is a super horse, but if the Gold Cup is run at a good pace, and if the going is soft we might well see a new champion in Denman. Last year Kauto Star's stable companion Neptune Collonges set a steady pace and when the field came into the straight for the second time there were at least ten horses in with a shout. It was the change of gear that Kauto Star showed that won him the race. A good gallop on soft ground makes the three and a quarter miles seem like three and a half miles. If it comes to a slog up the Cheltenham hill I think it will suit Denman better than Kauto Star. Racing is all about opinions which is what makes it so interesting. It would not surprise me if we had seen both the Gold Cup winner and the Grand National winner in last years Royal and Sun Alliance at Cheltenham. Here at level weights Denman beat Snowy Morning by ten lengths. We all saw Denman run a smashing race in winning the Hennessy Cognac Cup at Newbury on the 1st December 2007. Here Snowy Morning was receiving 18lbs from Denman and strongly fancied to beat him. Unfortunately he fell at the 7th fence. Denman went across to Ireland for the Lexus Chase at Leoparstown where at level weights he beat The Listener by four lengths. Then in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown at level weights The Listener beat Snowy Morning by six lengths. It was interesting that Ruby Walsh chose to ride Snowy Morning here in preference to Hedgehunter. Snowy Morning has been alloted 10-12 in the Grand National. He looks to be on a very handy mark. Going back to the Gold Cup and as mentioned in previous blogs there is usually something that sneaks into a place at long odds. Halcon Genelardis was paid a further compliment by Miko De Beauchene at Haydock last Saturday. Miko De Beauchene carried top weight to victory over the three and half miles in the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup Handicap Chase. In the Welsh National at Chepstow Miko De Beauchene beat Halcon Genelardis a head when in receipt of twenty one pounds. Now if it comes up soft or really heavy on Gold Cup day not many are going to truly stay the distance. Keep an eye on the weather, Halcon Genelardis could well be the each way value. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

Knowhere beat some good horses in the Letheby and Christopher Chase at Cheltenham on Trials Day last Saturday and continued the terrific season his trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies and jockey Paddy Brennan are having. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

Maljimar was a very popular winner on Saturday at Cheltenham for jockey Daryl Jacob and gave trainer Nick Williams his first Cheltenham winner. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

There was a nice touch at Cheltenham on Trials Day last Saturday when all his weighing room colleagues came out to wish Ollie McPhail all the best in his retirement from race riding. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

With no football match at Ipswich and a good weather forecast it was decided to get up early and hit the road to Cheltenham. It was the first time I had been there for a number of years and my Best Mate and I thoroughly enjoyed the excellent days racing. Aigle d'Or won the first in the colours of J.P.McManus and looks a good novice hurdler in the making. No doubt will be Festival bound. Arturio won the Timeform Novices Handicap Chase for Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh, while Maljimar was a very popular winner of the betchronicle.com Trophy Chase for trainer Nick Williams and jockey Daryl Jacob. The feature race of the day was the £100,000 Letheby and Christopher Chase run over 3 miles one furlong. Paddy Brennan rode a patient race on Knowhere allowing the more fancied horses to take each other on from the off and then outstay them up that Cheltenham hill. Picture shows him outstaying Our Vic who looked all over the winner jumping the last fence. Franchoek went off at slight odds on for the Wragge & Co Juvenile Novices Hurdle and at this stage looks a worthy favourite for the Triumph Hurdle after storming up the Cheltenham hill. This was another winner for J.P.McManus. For me the most enjoyable race of the day was seeing Inglis Drever win the Byrne Group Cleeve Hurdle from the younger contender Blazing Bailey. Richard Johnson came in for the ride and rode his usual strong finish to galvanise Inglis Drever up the hill. There was a nice touch during the afternoon when all the jockeys came out of the weighing room to wish Ollie McPhail all the best in his retirement from race riding. The countdown to the Festival continues with just under six weeks to go. I am sure we saw a couple of Festival winners last Saturday in Franchoek and Inglis Drever. Lets hope they stay free from injury. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

There are nine weeks to go for what most National Hunt enthusiasts would call the Main Event, that is the Cheltenham Festival. In my opinion these are the best four days racing in the world and they commence on Tuesday 11th March in the Cotswolds. All training plans are geared towards Cheltenham in March and I would like a fiver for the number of times recently I have heard a trainer state " he will have one more run before Cheltenham". Paul Nicholls is the lucky trainer who has the favourite and second favourite for the main race of the meeting the Cheltenham Gold Cup. They are Kauto Star and Denman who were both very impressive in their races over the Christmas period. They are the two best chasers in training but only one of them can win the Gold Cup. In the sixties Tom Dreaper in Ireland had the two best chasers around in Arkle and Flyingbolt, but they never met in racecourse competition. In 1964, 1965, and 1966 I was at Cheltenham to see Arkle win his three Gold Cups while Flyingbolt won the Gloucester Hurdle, the Cotswold Chase (now the Akle Challenge Trophy) and the Two Mile Champion Chase in successive years while also finishing third in the Champion Hurdle a day after winning the Two Mile Champion Chase. He went on to win the Irish Grand National under top weight that season. Denman seems to improve with every race and we might not have seen the best of him yet. The bookmakers seem to think the race rests between him and Kauto Star so the each way punter will be looking for a bit of value. If only we knew what the weather and the going will be like in nine weeks time. If it came up really heavy as it was in 1989 when Desert Orchid won the Gold Cup where a huge premium was put on stamina, ability to act on the going and stay at least three and half miles, then Halcon Genelardis could be an interesting contender. He was very impressive in the Welsh National when runner-up to Miko De Beauchene endevouring to give him lumps of weight. Twist Magic is ante-post favourite for the Two Mile Champion Chase and if he wins at Ascot on the 19th January he will shorten in the betting even more. Another horse from the Paul Nicholls yard. The Champion Hurdle looks a very open race at the moment. In the World Hurdle Inglis Drever is ante-post favourite to repeat his win of last year. Blazing Bailey might give him more to do this year. As we know from past years there are no such things as certainties in racing and I am sure we will be in for a few surprises come March at Cheltenham. Lets hope all the horses stay clear of injury beforehand. Heres counting down. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".