James Ewart runners at the Cheltenham Festival

James Ewart have also runners at the Cheltenham Festival when he saddles Aikman and Captain Americo in next month.

The Dumfriesshire trainer license held for seven years before this season and think they have enough horses on them.

Aikman has choice of five entries with a wonderful book their place at Huntingdon previous week Minella Sydney Memorial banks'Novices hurdle win in the class.

Captain Americo four-mile National Hunt Chase at Newcastle in January for Prince on Wayward Wetherby behind victory and a third position recently on the following courses.

He said, "Aikman has come out of the race very well and I think he now will have the opportunity to go to Cheltenham".

He has five entries and the only one he definitely won't run in is the Supreme. I would prefer not run in the two handicaps he's in even though he's now as short as 16-1 for the Coral.

He's in the Martin Pipe Handicap as well, but probably his choices will be the Neptune or the Albert Bartlett.

Captain Americo goes for the National Hunt Chase and is in tip-top form. He was ridden out this morning and is as good as ever.

Cheltenham is a very special place and you only go there when you believe you have something you have a chance with. I've been training for seven years and we've never had a runner at the Festival.

This year we will have two. We are only going there with Aikman and Captain Americo because they truly represent the best chances we've ever have had of a runner with potential to be placed or even possibly win a race."

Pipe heads off classy Crus

To the Ladbrokes World Hurdle some spice has been added by Grands Crus at the Cheltenham Festival expressed by David Pipe.

The six-year-old grey has thrown down the gauntlet to the hat-trick-seeking Big Buck's after claiming three wins on the bounce.

We knew Grands Crus was going to win at Cheltenham in November and go on to win at Haydock a week later," the Pond House handler told the Daily Mail.

"Horses like Grands Crus don't come around very often. It's like he gets tunnel vision on the track.

"We may tow Big Buck's to the last hurdle, or all the way to the line.
"It's certainly added some spice to the race.

"He is potentially the most exciting horse I've taken to Cheltenham."

Cheltenham ruled out for Pady

Tom Cooper has discard the Cheltenham Festival from Forpadydeplasterer's agenda - but his stable star still has a opportunity of making the Punchestown Festival.

Ryanair, Queen Mother Champion Chase and Gold Cup entries was banned for Forpadydeplasterer on Wednesday after his journey to Kempton for the rescheduled King George VI Chase left a mark.

"He came back from Kempton a very sick horse and I think making the two trips to Kempton, first in December and then when the race was rearranged, put paid to him," said Cooper.

"I thought last week we were looking good for Cheltenham but I'd rather not take him over again so soon.

"I'll keep him over here for the rest of this season and hopefully he'll be ready to run at Punchestown."

Walsh 11-10 to be top Cheltenham rider again

To ride the most winners at next month's Cheltenham Festival,LADBROKES have made Ruby Walsh their 11-10 favourite.

To overtake Pat Taaffe's record of 25 festival winners,Walsh had won three successes last year.He has been absent with a broken leg since November, but aims to return to race-riding by the end of this month.

For the previous two years he has been leading rider at the meeting and can look forward to the pick of champion trainers Paul Nicholls' and Willie Mullins' runners.

Next best in the betting for the award, which is sponsored by tailors Thomas Pink, is Barry Geraghty at 3-1.

He claimed the title in 2003 with five triumphs, while Tony McCoy, four winners shy of Walsh's overall record of 27,is a 6-1 shot.

Champion Chase on Somersby agenda

The Queen Mother Champion Chase has been confirmed by Henrietta Knight is the most likely Cheltenham Festival target for her stable star Somersby.

Dual Champion Chase hero Master Minded in last month's Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot was beaten the seven-year-old and a rematch now looks to be on the cards.

Speaking on her website, www.henandterry.com, the trainer said: "Somersby is extremely well and fresh. We have decided that his most likely race at Cheltenham will be the Champion Chase on the Wednesday. That is our aim."

An upbeat report has been issued by Knight on Grand National hope Calgary Bay, who was second at Cheltenham on Saturday.

"With Doncaster abandoned last Saturday, Calgary Bay, who was three-quarters of the way there, was re-routed to Cheltenham - his second preference," Knight added.

"After five hours in the horsebox, he ran a super race to finish second to Wishfull Thinking in the Murphy Group Chase. He will now have a rest and be prepared for the Grand National in April."