Ten-Year Statistics: Only one winner carried more than 10-9; all winners were eight, nine, ten, or eleven; no favourite has won; revious run between seven and ...

Tofino Bay (136). Ran a blinder in the National Hunt Chase. He led or disputed the lead from the start and stayed on well when challenged. Hotly challenged when left clear at the second last, he may have idled on the run-in. A consistent fellow, his FSF is higher than Back In Focus thanks to better time figures.

Our Conor (144). Produced a performance that sees his RPR figure 10lb higher than Katchit’s win in the same race. Katchit was the last Triumph Hurdle winner to follow-up in the following season’s Champion Hurdle. With speed on his sire’s side and stamina on the dam’s, he look the real deal. Jumps and travels with ease and never looked in a moment’s danger from the second last. Taking into account he should improve at least 7lb, based on the weight-for-age scale, he deserves his place at the head of the 2014 Champion Hurdle market.

Benefficient (132) has won Grade One races over fences and hurdles. His form reads well and he is expected to appreciate better ground. Looks one to consider at long-odds in his chosen race. Trainer apparently believes Aintree will suit him better. He has won on good to soft through to heavy going left and right-handed over two and two and a half-miles.

The New One. He will probably take it up going to the last I would expect. There is no point sitting there, making a mistake at the last and getting run out of it. It is difficult but the ground cannot be as horrible as it was last time.

"I would hope all my horses have good chances but he would be the shortest-priced and the bookies are cleverer than most of us so maybe he is our best chance.

Rival D'Estruval. I am told he is pleasing in his preparation for the NH Chase at Cheltenham. Leading Irish amateur Derek O’Connor has been booked to ride this eight-year-old, who is twice a winner and was second to Bold Sir Brian at Carlisle.

Quartz De Thaix has been a revelation this season improving 23lb on official ratings. Jumping is much improved and 3lb better off with Master Overseer for three-quarter length defeat at Cheltenham. Yet to prove he stays this far but handles soft/heavy ground.

Last Shadow. An eye-catching effort at Doncaster under a sympathetic ride, he jumped slowly for the first mile when held up in rear before making late progress in the final quarter of a mile to finish fourth. Effective on soft and heavy on the flat, where he was rated 87 before selling for 210,000 Guineas at the HIT Sales last October.

Long Run. FSF ratings display he improved from his seasonal reappearance 11lb in 2010 and 8lb in 2011. Long Run consistently bangs out top-class speed figures and there is a chance he has peaked earlier than is normal for national hunt horses. Course and distance form reads 1, 2, 1 and it is hard to see him not being involved at the business end. I feel it is important for Long Run to get into a steady and consistent rhythm. His jumping problems surface where there is a sudden surge in the pace. Likely to race just off the pace, it may be prudent to kick for home, coming out of the back straight.

Hold On Julio. Excellent return at Cheltenham in October and aimed at this since then. Ground is now looking suitable. Trainer is bullish about his chance.

I find it somewhat of a surprise that Silviniaco Conti misses the King George given Paul Nicholls comments at Aintree in April. He suggested a flat track suits the horse. Whilst it is clear from his profile he dislikes the period from December to February (Four runs four losses), he is yet to prove himself to the unique test that is Prestbury Park.

Coneygree. Has to be considered a leading fancy for his chosen race at the Festival. Initial FSF ratings suggest he put in as good a performance as Fingal Bay’s last year when making all the running in the Neptune Trial hurdle at Cheltenham. Piling on the pressure coming down the hill, he kept on strongly when the placed horses attempted to close him down. Long-term this half brother to Carruthers has the physical scope to make a high-class chaser. Bondage ran a sound race to finish second. According To Trev’s official rating confirms the form of the race. 20//1 with Paddy Power looks an acceptable price at this stage. With Cheltenham in mind, both his sire and dam were effective on good and good to soft.

Its A Gimme. A smashing return at Ascot raises hopes he can go close here. Highly touted last season, he was unable to live up to the hype, though the promise was there to see. In the same ownership as Darlan and Cash And Go.

Capella’s Song. An unlucky loser in my opinion and sure to break her duck in the near future.

Cosimo De Medici. Fourth at Ayr’s Western meeting last time and should be spot-on.

Three-year-olds have won fifteen of the last eighteen renewals. Twenty of the last twenty-four winners won their last start. Seventeen of the last nineteen winners came from stalls one to nine.

Ostaad. Dettori appeared at pains not to give him a hard race and may well have won under a vigorous ride.

Ladyship (Oasis Dream) Sir Michael Stoute.
This filly has been consistent all season. She has been catching the eye on the gallops and is thought likely to improve further. Her dam was a dual group One winner that improved with age. Ladyship may stay seven-furlongs to a mile in due course.

Danedream|131*|Danedream found her form at the end of May 2011, taking the Oaks D’Italia at the San Siro. In late July and early September, she landed two Group One races in her native Germany. Arriving at Longchamp for the Arc de Triomphe, she trounced her rivals by five-lengths, displaying a blinding turn of foot. Her season ended with an honourable run in the Japan Cup. This season she landed a Group Two at Baden-Baden before disappointing in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. That was her second poor performance at the track and may prove best forgotten. She enjoys good through to soft ground and has a telling turn of foot. Her ability to display that on courses with a short run from the home turn should prove useful at Ascot.

Harlestone Wood (Olden Times) John Dunlop.
Nice type of horse who has now had three runs for a handicap mark. Showed improved form to finish third in a well-contested maiden at Newbury, at the beginning of July. Related to middle-distance winners, he should be winning races once his stable finds some form. I suggest you keep a close eye on the winner Guarantee, who won cosily despite looking green, and Top Billing.

THE FUGUE (134) The Fugue finished fourth in the 1000 Guineas, prior to running away with the Musidora Stakes at York. I felt that race fell apart leaving her to appear a more impressive winner than was perhaps the case. Held by Maybe on Newmarket Guineas form with that filly looking sure to improve. The Fugue’s dam has Group One mile and a half winners on his c.v, while her dam was third over the same distance in the 2005 Ribblesdale Stakes. It should be noted that paddock experts have noted she is not very big, and not perhaps what you expect to see in a classic filly. However, “Handsome is as handsome does”.

BONFIRE: 142
Bonfire ended his juvenile campaign with an unlucky third to French Fifteen at Saint-Cloud. Returning to action in the Dante Stakes, he stayed on gamely to outstay the useful Ektihaam. Ponied to the start, his temperament will be tested to the full at Epsom in the preliminaries. He has shown himself an athletic horse able to manoeuvre during a race, which is a key asset at Epsom. He possesses the ability to quicken and displayed he handles faster ground than he met last season. On the downside there has to be a doubt about his stamina. Admittedly, he stayed on well to the line without serious recourse to the whip. However, the second looks a genuine mile and a quarter horse, while the third appeared to find his stamina ebbing away having travelled.

Alaskan Bullet (IRE) (Kodiac — Czars Princess, by Soviet Star)
Michael Bell
Made all and bolted up at Yarmouth on his debut. Sent to Doncaster for a conditions race, he got upset before the race and ran disappointingly. The stable went without a winner last September and that effort is best overlooked. He has done well over the winter and is expected to win a sprint handicap before moving up in grade.

Ryanair Chase preview

Graham Richards has published his Cheltenham 2012 Guide, an extract from which is published below. Covering every race over all four days of the Festival, it is available now for £10 - order your copy online today. For the full service, order the guide, daily newsletters with tips for every race, and the preview and newsletters for Aintree for just £20.

Noble Prince (163) has looked a natural for this race ever since his win in the Jewson Novice Chase in 2011. His trainer has campaigned over two miles this season and the horse has been far from disgraced. The trip and likely ground will suit and it is hard to envisage him out of the business end action.

Rubi Light (164) has not been disgraced over three-miles this season. However, his win in the two and a half mile John Durkan remains one of the best pieces of form this term.

Forget the other 51 weeks of the year, in racing circles there really is only one week that truly matters. The Cheltenham Festival is quite simply the Olympics of horse racing, and jump racing fans will once again flock to Gloucestershire this March to soak up what is always an amazing atmosphere.