It is the most eagerly anticipated week of racing action on the calendar and after a long countdown the Cheltenham Festival is finally here.
Day one is headlined by the Champion Hurdle, where Constitution Hill and Brighterdaysahead lock horns, and we've got a race-by-race guide to the Cheltenham opener, with racing taking place from 13:20-17:20 on Tuesday.
13:20 - Michael O'Sullivan Supreme Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1, 2m½f)
The opening contest revolves around the Willie Mullins yard, with Closutton chief accounting for no less than six of the 12-strong cast. The clear form pick is KOPEK DES BORDES.
The Fairyhouse bumper winner defied a poor round of jumping to win at Christmas on hurdles bow and then really put a marker down with his authoritative Dublin Racing Festival Grade 1 victory.
Things didn't go entirely to plan, with a loose horse lighting him up a long way from home, but he powered clear to win by 13 lengths from re-opposing Karniquet. His latent ability could be quite something and, with a hood added to ensure he keeps the lid on, he can give his trainer a record-extending eighth Supreme win.
Salvator Mundi (Patrick Mullins) and Gordon Elliott's Romeo Coolio are key players, but the way in which Workahead put William Munny to the sword at Christmas bodes well, that form well-advertised since by the re-opposing second as well as three more subsequent winners.
The Workforce gelding could see Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore in the mix again, having won this curtain-raiser a year ago with Slade Steel.
SELECTION: KOPEK DES BORDES
NEXT BEST: WORKAHEAD
14:00 - My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices' Chase (Grade 1, 2m)
Just five runners in the Arkle, the field halved from last year, with the likelihood that a few have been scared off by MAJBOROUGH.
Last season's Triumph Hurdle winner here, he's 2-2 this season since going chasing and was most impressive in the Irish Arkle last month. He mostly dictated in front and jumped well after an early scare of sorts. He's a big powerful sort and has a bit on hand on official ratings, with the prospect of more to come.
Touch Me Not had no answer last time in Ireland, while Jango Baie was denied in the Grade 1 Scilly Isles at Sandown over 2m4f and might not be suited down in trip at this pace.
L'eau Du Sud is the leading UK contender on paper for the Skeltons and should go well, while the mare Only By Night is unbeaten in three over fences so far and Gavin Cromwell's challenger could outrun her odds.
SELECTION: MAJBOROUGH
NEXT BEST: ONLY BY NIGHT
14:40 - Ultima Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap, 3m1f)
A contest utterly dominated by British runners in recent times, with no Irish winner since Dun Doire flew home to score in 2006.
Homes contenders of note include The Changing Man for Joe Tizzard, Broadway Boy for Nigel Twiston-Davies and Sam Thomas' recent Kempton scorer Katate Dori. Each has their merits.
Lucinda Russell has won this twice with Corach Rambler and she fires two now, with WHISTLE STOP TOUR favoured.
His wins at Kelso and Ayr came over this sort of trip and he then ran well here over shorter on Trials Day. He's a lightly-raced novice, but this stamina test could suit and a mark of 136 is fair.
If there is an Irish contender to make a firt of it, then The Short Go could be the one for the De Bromhead/Blackmore axis. He ran a big race in a C&D handicap in the autumn and was an unlucky faller in the Troytown at Navan. He has a decent record when fresh and, again, a mark of 132 may suit.
SELECTION: WHISTLE STOP TOUR
NEXT BEST: THE SHORT GO
15:20 - Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle (Grade 1, 2m4f)
Last year's winner Lossiemouth is odds-on for this, but her absence from the Champion Hurdle was an admission of inferiority. She ran a strange race at Christmas and took a hefty fall at the DRF last time. There's enough doubt now to take her on.
It's her stablemate JADE DE GRUGY that appeals as the one to do it with. Her defeat as a novice here last spring can be easily overlooked, it was a tactical race and the tactics weren't great for her.
Danny Mullins rides here and will do so with freedom. She excelled in the Grade 3 Quevega Hurdle at Punchestown in her comeback last month and can follow in the footsteps of that great mare by winning this.
July Flower is a contender in a race De Bromhead and Blackmore do well in, while Newbury winner Joyeuse is on the rise for Nicky Henderson.
Take No Chances was only a neck behind her over C&D in December giving away 18lb and Dan Skelton's mare has since bagged a Grade 2 at Ascot. She's enjoying career-best form this season and could run into the money.
SELECTION: JADE DE GRUGY
NEXT BEST: TAKE NO CHANCES
16:00 - Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1, 2m½f)
State Man is the reigning champion here, but he's almost an afterthought. He won last month's Irish Champion Hurdle after Lossiemouth exited but had twice been beaten on home soil before that. He appears regressive.
The same might be said of Constitution Hill, despite the fact that he remains unbeaten. He returned from a year off by winning the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, a race in which Lossiemouth really flattered to deceive.
He then won the International Hurdle here on Trials Day, hardly inspiring in defeating inferior rivals. Henderson described a recent gallop at Kempton as 'frightening' but that was surely overselling it.
He has never sampled defeat in his 10-race career and the Constitution Hill of two years ago would be hard to pass, but he may not be quite as good now.
BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD could be the best hurdler he has faced. She lost out in a tactical bout here 12 months ago, the only defeat in her career, and a repeat is not on the cards as stablemate King Of Kingsfield will set the fractions how she wants them.
At Christmas they went at a relentless pace and when he bowed out, Jack Kennedy's partner continued in merciless fashion to the winning post. That really was frightening.
She is still on the up and gets 7lb from the favourite. Elliott and Gigginstown have made the gutsy decision to come at the king. She may not miss.
Burdett Road, Winter Fog and Golden Ace - the only horse to beat Brighterdaysahead - are surely only going to play bit parts.
SELECTION: BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD
NEXT BEST: CONSTITUTION HILL
16:40 - The Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
JP McManus has a strong hand to play here. His colours will be carried by Stencil for Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm, as well as Puturhandstogether and Beyond Your Dreams for last year's winning trainer Joseph O'Brien. The trio are all respected in a field of lightly-raced individuals.
James Owen has a strong juvenile team and LIAM SWAGGER is one with scope for better from a decent mark, especially if his hurdling technique has been given a brush up since Newbury in December. He warmed up with a smooth win on the Flat last month and could have more to come.
HOT FUSS ran well behind Triumph Hurdle favourite East India Dock at Wincanton on jumping bow and followed up nicely at Sandown. He disappointed in graded company at Christmas, but has won on the level since and can bounce back with a big run for Tom Dascombe.
SELECTION: LIAM SWAGGER
NEXT BEST: HOT FUSS
17:20 - National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices' Handicap Chase (3m6f)
No longer exclusively for amateur riders, that's going to change the complexion of this race.
Despite that, Patrick Mullins has picked up the ride on Transmission for Neil Mulholland and looks set for a key role.
Others of note include Captain Cody (Danny Mullins), Haiti Couleurs (Ben Jones) and Now Is The Hour (Keith Donoghue) in a very competitive contest.
Hasthing threatens more for Jonjo O'Neill and company after a good Ascot run last time out when upped to 3m, but most interesting at the prices is Gordon Elliott's STUZZIKINI.
He won the Troytown at Navan in November and his Thyestes challenge never got going under a patient ride on testing ground. This surface will be more to his liking and Sam Ewing returns. If his stamina holds up, they are key players.
SELECTION: STUZZIKINI
NEXT BEST: HASTHING
