Cheltenham Betting / Timeform / 12 March 2009 / Leave a comment

Timeform on the likely favourites on Friday at Cheltenham.

The final day of the 2009 Cheltenham Festival opens with the Grade 1 JCB Triumph Hurdle, and plenty of top stables are represented.

Zaynar and Walkon reoppose here, having finished first and second in a juvenile hurdle at Newbury in December. The former wears first time cheekpieces following a rather laboured victory at Ascot last time.

Alan King's charge Walkon bids to follow up his win at Cheltenham Trials Day, whilst rookie trainer Alan Fleming saddles the unbeaten Starluck. Irish challengers include Jumbo Rio and Ebadiyan.

Twenty eight runners go to post for a typically competitive Vincent County Hurdle at 2:05, in which Dave's Dream attempts to complete the double, following his success in the Imperial Cup at Sandown on Saturday.

Bensalem's late defection from the three mile Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle means Paul Nicholls' Pride of Dulcote is likely to go off favourite. His chief opposition looks like coming from the Paul Nolan-trained Alpha Ridge and Northern raider Cape Tribulation. The former was successful in the Grade 2 Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran last time, whilst the latter is unbeaten in two starts. Howard Johnson's Door Boy would probably have given him most to do but for falling there in the Grade 2 River Don Novices' Hurdle at Doncaster in late January.

The totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup is covered in depth in Race of The Day whilst at 4:00 the amateur riders get their turn in the limelight, with Oliver Greenall and Amicelli hoping to repeat last year's success. Market leader Cappa Bleu has yet to win under rules but has solid point-to-point form, whilst old favourites Juveigneur, Kingscliff and Royal Auclair also make the line up.

The final two races on the card are sure to be targeted by two particular trainers, with the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle attracting no fewer than nine entries from his son David's stable, whilst Nicky Henderson has aimed both My Petra and French Opera at his father's memorial race, the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase. A victory for Henderson in the latter contest would seal a memorable week for the trainer, who saddled Punjabi and Binocular to finish first and third in the Champion Hurdle.