1.20pm Cheltenham

Old Park Star

In many ways it is hard to get a firm handle on the novice form this season, and obviously Mighty Park encapsulates that. He could be very good, but we know Old Park Star is very good after wide-margin wins here and at Haydock. He has come a long way since his debut success for us at Kempton in November, and everything about him suggests this test will suit and that he has the class for the challenge. I’m not getting into comparisons with our previous winners of this race – the likes of Altior, Shishkin and Constitution Hill – but hopefully I’ll be in a position to after the race! What I must stress though is this looks to be a very good and deep Supreme – the likes of Talk The Talk and El Cairos clearly have to be fully respected – and you can expect a lot in here to step forward now we have got some better ground. I hope we are the one to beat, though.

2pm Cheltenham

Lulamba

The Supreme winner Kopek Des Bordes looked very good when winning on his chase debut at Navan in November and he is clearly a formidable rival. Of course, we haven’t seen him since then but you can be sure that Willie will bring him here in A1 condition. But this is not a two-way shootout, as the betting suggests. I fully respect the likes of his other runner, Kargese, not to mention Steel Ally et al. But of course we are very hopeful, if not necessarily confident, that we have a horse to go to war with in Lulamba. Last year’s Triumph Hurdle was a tough beat for him but he righted that wrong at Punchestown and he comes here with plenty of chasing experience under his belt after wins at Exeter, Sandown and Newbury and as the form horse on his fencing exploits to date. If he jumps round and runs his race, then hopefully it will take a very good one to beat him. But there may be one or two of those in here, granted.

2.40pm Cheltenham

Manlaga

She won her only start in France and has run two races full of promise since joining us. She only just got touched off by the hugely progressive Manganese at Doncaster and then went one better when beating Pourquoi Pas Papa and The Mighty Celt, both of whom re-oppose here, in good style at Haydock. Time will tell whether her mark of 130 is harsh, fair or generous but she is lightly-raced and open to improvement, so here is hoping.

3.20pm Cheltenham

Hyland

The ground is right for him and a mark of 143 hopefully gives him a fair shout. He arrested his form slide when a good fourth at Ascot for me last time, not helped by a mistake 2 out, and he has a lot of positives, not least three course wins, two of which came over fences. On the downside, it is a hugely competitive race but hopefully we will be in there pitching at the business end. Hopefully first-time cheekpieces will help, too.