I’M delighted to be back providing my blogs for another season and now the rain has finally arrived we should have plenty coming out in the next few weeks. In fact, we’ve already made a pretty bright start to the term with some nice winners earlier in the week at Kempton.

It was great to see dear old Call Me Lord get his head back in front in the Pertemps Qualifier and he seemed to really enjoy himself out in front. Tweed Skirt was very impressive on her Chase debut on the same card and is a mare who I hope will go all the way to the top in her division. Attaca took a while to warm to his task on his first run over hurdles but was always in command and is a lovely horse going forward. He’s learning all the time and Nico said straight after the race that he’d have no problem getting two and a half, which is probably where he’ll end up, but for the time being we’ll stick to this trip and give him plenty of time.

Everything is going well with the likes of Constitution Hill, Epatante, Chantry House and Jonbon who are all ready to roll. Jonbon will likely run at Warwick on Wednesday, Epatante the Fighting Fifth, Chantry House will run in the Coral Gold Cup and Constitution goes to Ascot in a week’s time.

Unusually for us, just a single runner on day one of the Open Meeting at Cheltenham, but it’s a nice aperitif ahead of a busy Saturday.

FRIDAY – CHELTENHAM

16:00 Rathmacknee (Nico De Boinville)

I think he could be quite a fun horse for his owners the Million In Mind Partnership this season because he’s a lovely horse with a good attitude and we’ll probably mix it up a bit with him over hurdles and fences. Like all Million In Mind horses, they get sent to the sales at the end of the season but he wasn’t quite fetching what we thought so Anthony Bromley decided to buy him back and I think he was right to do so.

This is his first run in a Handicap and he’s got to give weight all round, but he’s stepping back down in trip which won’t be a problem on a course like this and I quite like him.