The debate over Kauto Star's fine form this season against Denman's lack of condition at Newbury dominates the Gold Cup this season - Graham Richards surveys the form of the leading contenders.

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Newbury and Warwick last weekend provided more clues for Cheltenham, and plenty of pointers for the Grand National. Form analyst Graham Richards takes a detailed look back.

There were Cheltenham clues in abundance last weekend, with quality racing at Sandown, Doncaster, Wetherby, Leopardstown and Musselburgh. Graham Richards analyses the form to find horses to follow and avoid come the Festival.

In the open at Ascot, Call Me A Legend won well for Alan King. Subsequent results over the past couple of days confirm the stable is back firing again. Advisor won the Juvenile Hurdle well enough. He jumps well and finished the race with his ears pricked. The times suggest the ground was good to soft and he is clearly effective when the word “soft” is in the description.

A fine weekends' racing in prospect including important trial races for the Cheltenham Festival.

The Paul Nicholls pair of Advisor and Pistolet Noir hold entries at Ascot; together with stablechum Royal Mix they also hold entries in what looks like a high-class renewal of the Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown on February 7th, a race won last year by Jumbo Rio.

Champion Bumper

Some early names worth consideration and to look out for. Thomas Mullins trains Tavern Times and Dr Whizz; both have already won, suggesting they might be useful. Noel Meade hit the scoreboard with Monastrell and Perfect Smile. He has another likely type in the shape of Realt Mor waiting in the wings. Willie Mullins has a good mare called Killultagh Queen. She won at Fairyhouse in good style.

Khyber Kim put up another improved performance and is now fulfilling his potential

Events at Cheltenham on Saturday conspired to make the Champion Hurdle a mystery worthy of Hercule Poirot’s attentions. The International Hurdle was run at a good pace. Apart from Medermit's mistake at the second last, I could see no excuses for the beaten horses. Ashakazar took them along at a good pace; despite looking less than keen to play the game with any enthusiasm. Headed three from home, he gave way to Celestial Halo who was shadowed by Punjabi, Medermit and Khyber Kim.

With the early exchanges of the jumps season behind us, Graham Richards provides his list of twenty unexposed horses to follow for the remainder of the season.

On Friday, Consigliere showed more than enough to suggest he will be wining on soft to heavy ground. Four of his five wins have come on right-handed courses.

Later in the day, Regal Approach served notice he will be winning soon. He looks well-handicapped and came from way off the pace. Recovering from a mistake three from home, he finished in good style.

This preview is extracted from the trainer interviews in the 2009/10 National Hunt Season Guide by Graham Richards. With stable tours, horses to follow and newsletters for all major meetings through the season, it is an essential source of winners. Order your copy online today.

Bensalem
Won an Irish Point-To-Point at Dromohane, before joining the team at Barbury Castle Stables. Following a Bumper win at Sandown Park, he won three novice hurdles before finishing second to Diamond Harry at Cheltenham in January. Having summered well, he will go Novice Chasing and is likely to start over two and a half miles, before moving up in distance. Alan considers him an exciting prospect and reports he loves soft ground.

Novice hurdlers to follow, 2009/10

Benbane Head
Ex-Irish Point-To-Point winner. Benbane Head has won a Bumper at Uttoxeter and a three and a quarter-mile Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham. Thought to be best on good or good soft ground, he has the look of an ideal candidate for the Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle over three miles. Should not be underestimated and the apple of trainer Martin Keighley’s eye.

Fencing Master and Steinbeck both showed massive improvement in the Dewhurst

Champions' Day at Newmarket last Saturday threw up a number of significant performances that should aid us in the future. The first-time visor appeared to improve Aiden O’Brien’s Beethoven as he landed the Dewhurst from stablechums Fencing Master and Steinbeck who finished second and fourth. Reported to be going for the Breeders Cup, he could go well there despite his long season. Experience counts for a lot in that race and he is the right size to nip round Santa Anita’s sharp track.

Arkle target for top-class former hurdler

Seven-year-old Sizing Europe (Pistolet Bleu - Jennie Dun, by Mandalus) is a winner of seven races, in a career interrupted by various training problems, including back trouble.

A winner of one bumper, he swiftly moved through the hurdle ranks to become a live Champion Hurdle contender. His performance in the AIG Hurdle in 2008 was one of the best hurdle performances in recent years. He had his final race over hurdles in April 2009. At that time, his FSF master rating over hurdles was just 2lb below that of Binocular, who is top rated.

Coventry Stakes winner Canford Cliffs heads FSF ratings

Canford Cliffs continues to hold his position at the top of the FSF master list. Finished for the season, he may yet be overtaken in the coming weeks.

Special Duty showed a top-class turn of foot at Newmarket. With plenty of time to grow into her huge frame, she looks a worthy favourite for next years 1000 Guineas. Awzaan is another improver; I feel he may best over sprint distances.

Sea The Stars beat five Group One winners in the Arc to enter racing's pantheon - Graham Richards looks back at a day to remeber at Longchamp, which also featured four Group Ones for the Aga Khan.

Will we Sea The Stars confirm his champion status in Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe? Graham Richards previews all the runners, and finds that John Oxx's colt posted his weakest rating of the season over a mile and a half in the Derby...

An exciting autumn of racing is almost upon us. I thought I would try to highlight some horses we should be looking out for over next two or three weeks.

This weekend we have the three-day meeting at Ascot with the Queen Elizabeth Stakes the highlight of the meeting. Rip Van Winkle is clear on FSF ratings from Aqlaam and Delegator and one hopes he turns up fit and well on the day.

The four day Ebor meeting at York is imminent, and with top class action in prospect every day, Graham Richards guides you through the highlights.

Classic horses vs. their elders in the Sussex Stakes and Nassau Stakes

Update 1 August 2009: Three-year-olds dominated the two contests in 2009, with Rip Van Winkle routing his opponents in the Sussex Stakes, where four-year-old Paco Boy was best of the older horses in second, ahead of three-year-old filly Ghanaati. In the Nassau Stakes three-year-olds, headed by Midday, recorded a trifecta.

Located as it is after that oft-referred to yet inexact period when most three-year-olds reach a level of maturity that enables them to take on and defeat their elders under weight-for-age conditions, Glorious Goodwood has produced more than its share of memorable tussles between the Classic crop and its forerunners.

Goodwood’s two Group One events, the BGC Sussex Stakes and the Blue Square Nassau Stakes, have become synonymous with such rivalries in modern times, but it was not always the case.

York and Deauville have given more evidence with which to assess this year's leading juveniles - Graham Richards provides updated comments and ratings, and looks forward to seeing Canford Cliffs run on easier ground in the Dewhurst.