Senior star Fehily and young buck Cobden on the trail of golden glory

It may suddenly have become rather parky, but meteorologically winter has still to begin.

This is a fact Tomasz Schafernaker would confirm, yet for those assessing the time of year by a more important barometer, namely horseracing, winter is well under way. Now, as the weather gets colder, the action gets hotter.

Always eagerly awaited and always fiercely competitive, the BetVictor Gold Cup has been regarded as the first great handicap of the jumps season, right back to the decades when it was run as the Mackeson.

A great handicap is what awaits us once again. For one young jockey and a weighing room colleague of slightly older vintage, this could be a great day.

Noel Fehily is hoping to have another great day at CheltenhamCredit: Harry Trump

Noel Fehily rode the first winner of what has turned into a glittering career on November 16, 1998. Eleven days earlier, Harry Cobden was born.

On an afternoon when Cheltenham is set to be packed to the rafters, the 41-year-old Fehily partners ante-post favourite Kylemore Lough, while 19-year-old Cobden, interim number one to Paul Nicholls while Sam Twiston-Davies is sidelined, steers leading fancy Romain De Senam.

Can Lough defy his welter burden?

Fehily, who in March landed the Champion Hurdle and Champion Chase on consecutive days, rides what on the ratings is the best horse in the race. Kylemore Lough heads the market because many believe he can be even better.

For Kerry Lee Kylemore Lough did extremely well, winning a Grade 1 chase at Fairyhouse as a novice. However, four outings last season failed to produce a victory. Charged with making this season more successful is Harry Fry, a trainer whose share price grows ever-higher.

The same is true of Cobden, the reigning champion conditional and the apple of Nicholls' eye.

At Newcastle 12 months ago Cobden became a Grade 1 winner on Irving. For any number of reasons this would be bigger. Even bigger could beckon, with the teenager due to ride Cue Card at Haydock next Saturday if not required by Nicholls at Ascot.

McManus awaits first winner

He seems to have at least one fancied challenger most years, but JP McManus has never won this £160,000 showpiece, not even when it was the Mackeson, the Murphys, the Thomas Pink or the Paddy Power.

McManus has another chance to add his name to the roll of honour, with Le Prezien carrying his silks as the Ditcheat second string.

At Cheltenham in October Le Prezien chased home Foxtail Hill, a further leading contender in a test whose major players also include festival winner Tully East – seeking to become only Ireland's second successful raider since 1980 – the massively improved Double Treasure and Starchitect, who tries to become the Pipe family's tenth BetVictor winner.

Exciting novices kick off proceedings

Rewind to this day last year and the first two races were won by exceptionally smart horses. It could happen again.

The opening Grade 2 juveniles' event was claimed in 2016 by subsequent Triumph Hurdle hero Defi Du Seuil. His trainer Philip Hobbs is represented again, this time by Gumball, already 12-1 favourite for the 2018 Triumph.

Second favourite for that is the Nicky Henderson-trained Apple's Shakira, a sister to Apple's Jade, who also lines up here having won easily on her French debut. Since then McManus has made her his own as he looks to find another Defi Du Seuil.

You will not find many horses in the novice chase that follows, but a talented trio are charged with emulating last year's winner Thistlecrack. One of them is Thistlecrack's half-brother West Approach.

Let's watch Let's Dance and Rocco

The handicaps on this card are always tough, although not all have the numerical turnout one might have expected.

Take, for example, the £50,000 3m3½f handicap chase. A maximum of nine horses will face the starter, but the best known is none other than the McManus-owned Cheltenham Gold Cup second Minella Rocco, who will try to concede lumps of weight to his opponents.

Punchestown opens its doors 24 hours before welcoming back Faugheen. Running for the Faugheen team on Faugheen eve is Cheltenham Festival winner Let's Dance. On a Strictly Saturday, particularly in Blackpool week, she would be a most appropriate winner.

Mostly, though, this is a day not about the cha-cha-cha. It's all about Ch-Ch-Cheltenham.

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