Nicholls can end Pipe run

It usually involves inscribing the name of M C Pipe on the trophy for the first landmark handicap chase of the jumps season, but the champion trainer's arch rival Paul Nicholls can get the drop on his Somerset neighbour tomorrow when Poliantas lines up for the first running of the Paddy Power Gold Cup.

Pipe's record in tomorrow's £110,000 contest makes for impressive reading even by his own lofty standards.

Mackeson were the sponsors when he first won it with Beau Ranger back in 1987. Murphy's had been handed the baton by the time he won it with Challenger du Luc and Cyfor Malta in the 1990's, while Lady Cricket, Shooting Light and Cyfor Malta completed a Pipe monopoly during the three years when the race was run under the Thomas Pink banner.

Make no mistake, Pipey will be pulling out all the stops in his bid to land the trophy again. So will Tony McCoy, who lived on fresh air and the occasional jaffa cake to do the weight on the heavily-backed Chicuelo last year only to see Cyfor Malta romp home instead.

Cyfor Malta is back again in a bid to land the prize for an unprecedented third time, but he will have to put up a performance right out of the top drawer in order to win from a stiff-looking BHB handicap mark of 163.

McCoy has chosen It Takes Time who is far less exposed after just four runs over fences in his novice season and should handle this step down from three miles without too much difficulty.

His strong finish could be a potent weapon if he's still in touch jumping the second last, but Poliantas has conditions which suit him ideally and looks a very solid each-way option at 13-2 or thereabouts.

With so many star chasers housed in the Nicholls yard, Poliantas hasn't always been given the credit he deserves for some cracking efforts over fences.

So what are his main assets? Bold jumping is certainly one of them. He put in a very impressive round when chasing home Cyfor Malta in this race 12 months ago, and that sound techinique was in evidence again when he beat Golden Goal and Fondmort at Wincanton in December.

Three defeats followed, but Poliantas bounced back with a vengeance once the ground dried out for a valuable handicap at Cheltenham in April when romping ten lengths clear of Fondmort.

Nicky Henderson's gelding reopposes on 10lb better terms tomorrow and, given that he's another fine jumper with an impressive Cheltenham record, he has to be rated a danger.

The frustrating Master Tern is another possible threat if his haphazard jumping holds good, while Young Spartacus and Risk Accessor are proven Cheltenham performers trained by men who will have them primed to the minute with this big prize in mind.

However, don't be surprised if this boils down to a battle between Poliantas, the Nicky Hendersontrained Fondmort and the Pipe duo up the hill.

Everything looks in place for a memorable Cheltenham finish, but Poliantas and the excellent Ruby Walsh can shade it to give that engraver some new names to conjure with this year.

Channel 4 will be back on duty at Cheltenham again on Sunday for four live races including the Greatwood Hurdle, while BBC2 will cover three races from Haydock Park.

The Greatwood Hurdle revolves largely around a rapid improver from the Jonjo O'Neill stable.

Hasty Prince is the horse in question, and there's little doubt that he's the pick of the weights following his facile success in a valuable handicap hurdle at Chepstow last weekend.

Those who want to oppose him will point to the fact that he steps back from two and a half miles to two miles on Sunday, yet Hasty Prince was a useful horse on the Flat during his days with Ben Hanbury and is most unlikely to be found wanting for pace.

The fact that he carries a 6lb penalty in a stronger field here is more of a concern, but Hasty Prince cruised clear with Liam Cooper sitting motionless at Chepstow and looked value for more like 12 or 15 lengths rather than the official verdict of five. In short, Hasty Prince looked for all the world like a horse who is currently well ahead of the handicapper.

Sporazene is rated as a potential Champion Hurdle contender by Paul Nicholls and represents one of his main dangers.

Richard Fahey's northern raider Altay is another who could go well if he copes with this stiff track, but Hasty Prince is a worthy favourite and can give the Jonjo followers yet another big Cheltenham success to celebrate.

Weekend big-race selections

Cheltenham (tomorrow): 2.45, 1 Poliantas; 2 It Takes Time; 3 Fondmort. Cheltenham (Sunday): 2.40, 1 Hasty Prince; 2 Sporazene; 3 Altay.