Cheltenham Open Meeting starts today

For many jumping fans, the N.H. season proper begins today with the Cheltenham Open Meeting. An excellent card with 6 competitive races, headed by the Grade Two novices hurdle at 14.50 CET, in which the potential champion Cue Card (Colin and Joe Tizzard) attempts to maintain his unbeaten record. After an impressive win in the Champion Bumper here, he was a very easy winner on his hurdles debut at Aintree, and although the opposition is very strong, we hope that he is up to the task. The top stables provide the dangers - Dunraven Storm (Philip Hobbs/ Richard Johnson) - well behind Cue Card in the bumper here, but unbeaten in 3 starts since - Owen Glendower (Nicky Henderson/ Barry Geraghty) and German-bred King of the Night (Paul Nicholls/ Noel Fehily), an easy winner over this CD a month ago but taking a leap in class today. But Cue Card is probably the most exciting novice round and should score.

The cross-country race at 16.00 sees last year´s winner Garde Champetre (Enda Bolger/ Nina Carberry) return to the scene of many triumphs - he is 5 from 8 here- and he can win again. Bolger´s second string Heads on the Ground (JT McNamara) looks well held, while another Irish raider Sizing Australia (Harry de Bromhead/ Andrew Lynch) was 3rd here a year ago, but meets the favourite on worse terms now. Our suggestion for the forecast is course specialist Joe Lively (Colin and Joe Tizzard), making his debut in this discipline.

The novice chase at 18.05 is another strong event, with several contenders who could well be seen here at the Festival, among them Time for Rupert (Paul Webber/ Wayne Kennedy), runner-up to Big Bucks in the World Hurdle here, Reve de Sivola (Nick Williams/ Daryl Jacob), 1/2 in all starts last season, which he finished by winning a Grade One at Punchestown, and Quantitativeeasing (Henderson/ Tony McCoy), well behind in that race, but with a good chance on earlier form.

There is also N.H. racing today at Newcastle, obviously at a much lower level. The opening novice hurdle novice hurdle at 13.35 is the most interesting event. Howard Johnson and Ryan Mania won this last year and are now represented by Warrior One; he was an easy winner last time, for which he is penalised, but sets the standard here. Crackentorp (Tim Easterby/ Richard McGrath) a useful handicapper on the flat makes his debut over sticks and looks the main danger.