Mick Fitzgerald admits this year's Cheltenham Festival is going to be hard to face as he heads to the showpiece meeting for the first time since his retirement.

Fitzgerald has ridden countless winners at Prestbury Park over the years with just about every big race on his CV.

The popular Irishman has won the Gold Cup on See More Business, the Champion Chase on Call Equiname and the Stayers' (now World) Hurdle on Bacchanal.

But Fitzgerald sadly had to call time on his career after he suffered serious neck damage and a problem with his knee ligament following a fall from L'Ami in the John Smith's Grand National last April.

Fitzgerald has gone on to make a success of a career in the media, working for At The Races as well as Channel 4.

This year at the Festival he will play the role of roving reporter rather than being in the thick of the action.

"It's going to be very tough for me, especially with the Nicky Henderson camp doing so well and having so many high-profile runners. I'd love to be going into the Festival with that book of rides for sure," said the 38-year-old.

Henderson's Binocular will head into the Champion Hurdle as one of the shortest-priced favourites of the week - but some quarters are questioning his liking for the track after his defeat in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle 12 months ago.

"I wouldn't have ridden Binocular in the Champion Hurdle anyway as he's owned by AP's (McCoy) boss JP McManus, but I would probably have ridden Punjabi," Fitzgerald continued.

"If he didn't win, I would be hoping Binocular would do the business.

"I think he was beaten by a very good horse in Captain Cee Bee in the Supreme last year and it was the first time AP (McCoy) had ridden the horse.

"They went to Aintree next time and made no mistake. AP has has ridden him twice this season and got on brilliantly with him.

"I think AP has blamed himself a little bit for that defeat but he's been a bit harsh as I just think for a Supreme, it was run at a very slowly pace and that just counted against him.

"Punjabi should also run a big race there and he has already beaten Sublimity this season. He was third in the Champion Hurdle last year and we always thought he would be better with another year under his belt, so let's hope that's the case."

Fitzgerald would also love to be riding the Henderson-trained Punchestowns, who bids to get back on track in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle having been beaten in the Cleeve at Cheltenham last time.

Stablemate Barbers Shop will take his chance in the Gold Cup, running in the colours of the Queen.

"Punchestowns was beaten by Big Buck's on very bad ground last time and if Nicky hadn't been desperate to get a run into him, he probably wouldn't have run," said Fitzgerald.

"He's an inexperienced horse and Nicky has had the horse's programme mapped out, something he's a genius at.

"He looked the winner between the second-last and the last at Cheltenham and he just got tired. You'd hope he would improve for that.

"Barbers Shop is a similar horse to Punchestowns in that we always thought he would continue to improve with time.

"He ran a very good race in the Paddy Power Gold Cup behind Imperial Commander and he won very well at Sandown last time.

"Again his trainer has side-stepped taxing engagements for this fellow and he heads to Cheltenham a very fresh horse."

Fitzgerald has enjoyed his role in the media since his retirement and is looking forward to more of the same at the Festival and beyond.

"It's great working for At The Races and I've learnt an awful lot from the job," Fitzgerald added.

"It's very different to what I was experiencing as a jockey but when the red light is on and they tell you you're live, it makes your heart flutter.

"I suppose in that way there are similarities

"I've really enjoyed working for Channel 4 in the past as well and they are a good bunch of lads. I always wanted to ride winners on Channel 4 and that would never change.

"I've been very lucky to have a lot of big winners at Cheltenham down the years on the likes of See More Business and Call Equiname but it doesn't matter what the race is at the Festival.

"When I rode my first winner there on Raymylette in 1994, I felt it wouldn't matter if I didn't have another winner there.

"It was a magical moment as far as I'm concerned and there is nowhere better to ride winners.

"I'm just delighted I will be back at Cheltenham. OK it's in a different capacity to what it used to be but it was never going to go on forever anyway.

"I'll be screaming all of Nicky's horses home, that's for sure."

:: Cheltenham Festival is live on Channel 4 from March 10 - 13. Coverage starts daily at 8.30am with The Festival Morning Line, and Festival coverage live from 12.30pm.