Korelo can spoil Baracouda's party

Defeat at the hands of Iris's Gift in the return match twelve months ago came as a huge blow to Doumen, but Baracouda has bounced back by winning both his races this season and is "stronger than ever" for his return to Cheltenham according to his handler.

The problem is that the form book does not endorse Monsieur Doumen's view. Admittedly, two falsely-run contests at Newbury and Windsor were never likely to see Baracouda in his very best light, yet the fact that he had to work hard to fend off Crystal D'Ainay on both occasions did hint at vulnerability.

Tactics are unlikely to prove pivotal tomorrow, especially as Knife Edge is in to ensure a good gallop, but the suspicion remains that the former champ might have to work hard to get his crown back.

Crystal D'Ainay has been second favourite for much of the winter and returned to his best for the fitting of headgear in the Rendlesham Hurdle at Kempton. The problem is he's failed to reel in Baracouda three times now.

It's hard to see him making it fourth time lucky up a hill which suits the French raider better, while Emotional Moment has been fishing with success in a shallow pool of Irish staying hurdlers but will find himself in much deeper tomorrow having come up short more than once at previous Festivals.

Inglis Drever looks a stronger contender. Howard Johnson's tough gelding will run his usual solid race on his first attempt over three miles, but if Baracouda is to be beaten the two most likely lads for the job are Rule Supreme and Korelo.

Rule Supreme, who runs here after Willie Mullins shelved plans to go for Friday's Gold Cup, is building a lucrative haul of big races over fences and hurdles.

The French Champion Hurdle and Leopardstown's Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup have been added to his win in last year's SunAlliance Chase, while his fast-finishing third behind Baracouda and Crystal D'Ainay at Windsor was another eyecatching effort.

His proven stamina will make him a danger to all if he's close up running to the last, but Korelo gets the final vote on the basis that his recent form makes him a bigger price than he ought to be.

Anyone nominating Korelo as a possible champion stayer this time last year would have been written off as a hopeless optimist-Struggling after a fruitless spell over fences, he seemed well exposed as a couple of notches below top class. However, the return to hurdling has worked wonders for him.

A fine win under a big weight in a valuable handicap here in January represented the best effort of his career, while a close second behind Patriarch Express in the Cleeve Hurdle on his return last time was a further improvement.

Of course, if Baracouda really is as good as ever aged 10 then the World is still his oyster. But if his formidable powers are beginning to wane then we could have a race on. And at 12-1 or thereabouts, Korelo looks a sporting each-way alternative to the hottest favourite of the Festival.