Cheltenham Preview

In the past two seasons, this meeting has been dominated by Martin Pipe, who with the support of his main patron David Johnson, and jockey Timmy Murphy, has trained no less than 12 winners from the 36 races that have been run. Martin has now handed over the reigns to his son David who will be trying to carry on his father's good work.

The meeting commences on Friday, with the highlight being the "Sporting Index Cross Country Chase". Winding its way through the middle of the main course, it offers a unique challenge of jumping and tactics, a combination mastered in recent years by Spot Thedifference and regular partner John Thomas McNamara. They have a remarkable record over the course, having won four out of six in the past two years, with a close second at the Cheltenham Festival in 2006. At thirteen, he has not got many visits to Cheltenham left, but under the conditions of Friday's race will take all the beating again.

The feature race of the meeting is Saturday's "Paddy Power Gold Cup," a race won by Martin Pipe trained horses for the past two seasons, in Celestial Gold and Our Vic. Those two horses both went on to better things, and who's to say that this year's contender Vodka Bleu isn't capable of more than he's shown us already? David Pipe will obviously be keen to complete the hat-trick for his dad.

Sunday's Greatwood Hurdle is always a fascinating handicap, and has been a stepping stone to the Cheltenham Festival for a number of horses. In 2001, Westender was successful under Tony McCoy, before being touched off in the Supreme Novices Hurdle, but 2002 winner Rooster Booster went one better, scooting home by 11 lengths in the Champion Hurdle the following March.

His owner, Terry Warner has another live Champion Hurdle hope this year in top juvenile hurdler Detroit City. A recent winner of the valuable Cesarewitch Handicap at Newmarket in October, connections are unsure whether this imposing grey horse should be stepped up in trip, or campaigned over the minimum distance with the Champion Hurdle as his target. We will know a lot more after this race, especially with previous festival winners Noland and Arcalis in the line up. It should be a weekend to savour.