The totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup Analysis

There are a total of 40 entries for the 2005 £350,000 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, which moves to become the highlight of Friday's card at the new four-day Festival. Click Here for Entries.

This year's renewal of chasing's Blue Riband could see history made with Best Mate seeking a fourth consecutive success. Henrietta Knight's charge has already equalled the feats of Cottage Rake and Arkle in winning the contest thrice and, if he is successful again this year, he will join the great Golden Miller in becoming only the second horse to win the contest more than three times.

After winning on his seasonal debut at Exeter, Best Mate had to be content with second place behind Beef Or Salmon in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown on December 28, when a combination of heavy ground and a head injury proved against him. He was found to be coughing the day after the race. Beef Or Salmon will be making his third attempt at the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, having fallen in 2003 and finished fourth last year.

Best Mate defeated Sir Rembrandt and Harbour Pilot in 2004 and both horses could reoppose once again this year. Sir Rembrandt could be joined by his stable companion Kingscliff, winner of the Christie's Foxhunter Chase at the 2003 Festival and a most encouraging second behind Kicking King on his seasonal debut in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

In addition to Beef Or Salmon, Harbour Pilot and Kicking King, there are two more Irish entries in the shape of Edward O'Gray's Pizarro, third behind Beef Or Salmon and Best Mate last time out at Leopardstown and the Willie Mullins-trained Rule Supreme, the 2004 Royal & SunAlliance Chase hero.

Truckers Tavern finished runner-up to Best Mate in 2003 and recently returned to form when taking the Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase at Wetherby on Boxing Day. He is one of two entries for Ferdy Murphy, who also has the highly-promising novice Your A Gassman engaged.

The trainer with the highest number of entries is Paul Nicholls, who has five horses engaged. The pick of these is Strong Flow, who recorded a stunning success in last season's Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury while still a novice. He has yet to start this season. Ditcheat-based Nicholls could also run Heros Collonges, not seen out since recording a facile success in a novice chase at Kempton in January 2002 for Guillaume Macaire, recent Cheltenham handicap scorer Le Duc, Le Roi Miguel, fourth in the King George VI Chase at Kempton last time out, and Royal Auclair, victorious in the Cathcart Chase at the 2002 Festival and second on his latest start behind Therealbandit in the Mears Group Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on December 10.

Martin Pipe has yet to add to the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup to his illustrious CV and has four entries this year to try and rectify this. These include Celestial Gold, who has already demonstrated considerable improvement this year to win both the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham's Open Meeting and the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury.

He could be joined by Our Vic, who was leading when falling at the last in the bonusprint.com Gold Cup at Cheltenham last month, Tiutchev, winner of the Grade Two Martell Cup at Aintree last season but pulled up in the King George last time, and Therealbandit, who landed the Mears Group Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on December 10 before finishing down the field in the King George. The latter ran in last year's totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup while still a novice, finishing seventh.

Another trainer still seeking success in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup is Lambourn-based Nicky Henderson. The Seven Barrows handler has three to choose from including Irish Hussar, pulled-up behind Best Mate last year, Calling Brave, a four-time winner last year but pulled-up in the King George on his latest start, and the exciting novice Trabolgan, beaten a short-head by Ollie Maghern last time out in the Feltham Novices' Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Ollie Maghern, who also finished runner-up to Celestial Gold in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury, is one of two entries for Nigel Twiston-Davies. The Naunton handler's other entry is the hugely promising Fundamentalist, last season's Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle victor and victorious at Cheltenham earlier this season in the Independent Newspaper Novices' Chase. He disappointed on his latest visit to Prestbury Park when unseating Carl Llewellyn in the Unicoin Homes 'Dipper' Novices' Chase on New Year's Day but was subsequently found to be suffering from sore shins.

Other trainers doubly represented included Jonjo O'Neill. The master of Jackdaws Castle has both Keen Leader, a disappointing sixth behind Best Mate last year but still a horse of great promise, and Iris's Gift, last season's Ladbrokes World Hurdle victor who has yet to start over fences.

Sue Smith has both last year's Royal & SunAlliance Chase runner-up Royal Emperor and Chives, victorious in the Tommy Whittle Chase at Haydock Park this season, engaged while Welsh handler Peter Bowen has made entries for Take The Stand, who was going well under top weight when falling four out in the Welsh National and Ballycassidy, second on his sole start this season behind Stormez in the Servo Computer Services Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on November 13.

The pick of the remaining entries are Grey Abbey, triumphant under top weight in last season's Scottish National at Ayr and successful on his seasonal debut in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby in October, the 2003 Royal & SunAlliance Chase victor One Knight, Noel Chance's promising young chaser Murphy's Cardinal and the Victor Dartnall-trained Lord Sam who has also shown a great deal of potential but was another to disappoint badly last time out in the King George at Kempton.

Also included in the entries are the Richard Guest-trained veteran Red Striker, well-beaten on his two starts this season, and the enigmatic Venn Ottery, who showed tremendous improvement last season to finish fifth to Azertyuiop in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. He is now back with his original trainer and owner, Oliver Carter.

The Kent-based former teacher-turned property magnate, Fergus Wilson, has four entries in 2005. Three of these, all apparently no-hopers, are trained by Michael Scudamore - Astonville, Present Bleu and Turnium. Present Bleu was actually a Grade One winner in France in 2002 although his form has tailed off since then.

Wilson's remaining entry, Solarius is trained in France by Richard Chotard and was last seen out when landing a claiming hurdle at Cagnes-Sur-Mer on Christmas Day