IT'S a big day for our Cumbrian trainers at the Cheltenham Festival when the showpiece Totesport Gold Cup at 3.15pm is a fantastic race for anyone interested in National Hunt racing.
Hot favourite Kauto Star, trained by leading handler Paul Nicholls, is the equivalent of a Ferrari in the field. This flashy looker has all the gears and a dream engine, but has not put in a trouble-free round of jumping yet and, you know, you have to know the country lanes round here! Jonjo O'Neill's Exotic Dancer is a hold-up horse with a kick of speed and has not stopped improving but loyalty prevents the Flared Nostril from deserting Greystoke raider TURPIN GREEN , who actually beat Exotic at Carlisle and it's funny how form can come back to haunt you. He'll be a gigantic price and Nicky Richards deserves a bit of luck after Monet's failure. He would not be running him without a bit of a chance. What we call a sporting bet as is Telemoss from the stable in the Foxhunters race.
Half an hour earlier Jimmy Moffatt from Cartmel sends out his stable star CHIEF DAN GEORGE to take on another hotpot in Witchita Lineman. With four successive wins to his name, Chief deserves to be in this line-up and Alan Dempsey can give him a corking ride. More rain might have helped this out and out stayer but he has a chance of making the frame. Get ready for Cartmel partying tonight! Trainers risk a lot when they run here - so once-raced horses from good stables usually have good reason for lining up. Charlie Mann (his Moon oveer Miami failed to rise) has had little to cheer about but MOBAASHER in the Triumph Hurdle at 2pm could surprise a few. TYSOU's form behind Dempsey is looking pretty good after the latter's excellent run here and Mick Fitzgerald can get a big cheer on his way to retirement in the 4.40pm Grand Annual Chase.
The County Hurdle sees SWEET WAKE running -on the Nostril's list of "hidden horses" - and although he has plenty of weight, we feel he's been set aside for this one. Sneeze easy...from the boys at the Flared Nostril.