Leg One: 1400 Cheltenham:
There are some real old favourites in this with the weights headed by Halcon Genelardais who ran a tremendous race in the Scottish National on his final start last season. He's a previous Welsh National winner too and an out-and-out stayer who you can never rule out in races like this. He carries weight extremely well.
Grand National winner Comply Or Die returns to action here as does Simon who ran well in this on his seasonal reappearance last year while Parsons Legacy seems to like Cheltenham and always comes up the hill strongly.
Leg Two: 1435 Cheltenham
This is the big race of the day, the Paddy Power Gold Cup. It looks enormously competitive to me with the favourite being Silverburn for the all-conquering Paul Nicholls team. He's had a breathing operation since last season when he was a little in and out, finishing fourth in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase behind Albertas Run. He earlier won at Sandown and it could be that he doesn't stay three miles as well as his breeding suggests he should, he is a full-brother to Denman. This trip may be his optimum but for me this horse hasn't quite delivered on the big occasion.
I'm going to look elsewhere and the first horse to catch my eye was Imperial Commander who looks quite well handicapped and is expected to run well by trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies. He won a couple of times over fences at Cheltenham last season but jumped like he was wearing wellington boots on his final start. He's been off since and I just wonder whether he's going to be experienced enough.
Another horse who likes the track is Maljimar who could go well at a big price while Barbers Shop, a young horse off a good weight, ran well in the Jewson Novices' Chase here at the Festival.
Ouzbeck is a fast improver from the Alan King yard and won over course and distance a month ago but is creeping up the weights while the ground should suit Turko better than the surface he encountered at Wetherby in the Charlie Hall Chase. He has each-way claims.
But at the end of the day I've come down on the side of Ashley Brook who I expect to run a blinder. He looked in tremendous condition before returning to his very best form to win the William Hill Gold Cup at Exeter, beating Mahogany Blaze, Natal and Twist Magic.
Cast your mind back a couple of seasons and his handicap mark of 155 is anything but severe as he was mixing it with some of the very best two mile chasers of modern times. He seems to be back in form, has won over the trip in the past, and he'll give Tom O'Brien a hell of a ride.
Leg Three: Wetherby 1455:
Another competitive race. Leading Man heads the weights and has a liking for the track having finished second to Lothian Falcon in the Roland Meyrick Chase last Christmas. He has a lot of weight here but a reproduction of that form would see him go very close.
Lower down the weights Killard Point is one to consider along with Super Road Train, who looks the pick of the Sue Smith team.
Leg Four: Cheltenham 1510:
One or two of these are better known for their exploits over fences and look quite well handicapped over timber here, I'm thinking specifically of Fair Along and Buena Vista.
Paul Nicholls had four entries at the five-day stage but relies on Pride Of Dulcote, the mount of Ruby Walsh, while Buena Vista's trainer David Pipe also has another live contender in The Sliotar
Leg Five: Wetherby 1525: The weights are headed by Good Spirit who has been off the track for a long time but ran in the Arkle on his last start. He returns over hurdles on what could be a handy mark.
Mr Crystal was a recent winner on the Flat at Pontefract so is in good order while European Dream is also a useful horse on the level who could be well treated over hurdles. Knockavilla represents Howard Johnson and could be anything.
Leg Six: Cheltenham 1545:
What a way to finish the Scoop6, get all the winners and you deserve your £3million! Lots of horses are open to improvement including Busker Royal for Nicky Henderson, Salute Him for the oh so shrewd Tony Martin, Keki Buko for Philip Hobbs and Nigel Twiston-Davies' Weather Front.
Further down is a three-year-old trained in France called Overlord who is penalised seven pounds for a recent victory but he gets plenty of allowances.
Preview posted at 1310GMT on 14/11/2008.
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