'He's got everything you'd want in a horse to be trying to win the Gold Cup with'

It promises to be a two-pronged Cheltenham Festival for champion trainer Paul Nicholls. On the one hand, there are those horses for the future, such as his novice hurdlers Tahmuras, Hermes Allen and Stay Away Fay; names who could be headliners this year for Nicholls, but ones he is confident will be in years to come.

On the other, there is a genuine contender for the biggest race of the week as King George VI Chase winner Bravemansgame contests the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup; a horse for the here and now who has every chance of being the trainer’s fifth winner of the iconic race.

“I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to it, but I’ll be nervous all week before the race,” he says. “So it’s my highlight of the week having a horse in the Gold Cup with a lovely chance.