Jump racing heads the sporting agenda next week when racing fans from all over the country will be converging on Cheltenham for the start of the four-day National Hunt Festival on Tuesday.

Teelvision viewers are well catered for with Channel Four cameras in attendance for the whole of the Festival, screening five races everyday and special Morning Line programmes each day.

Despite the economic troubles, thousands of Irish fans are still expected to make their annual visit to Prestbury Park to add to the atmosphere and cheer on their country’s runners.

As ever, the big talking point ahead of the Festival is the ground.

With the recent dry spell the clerk of the course Simon Claisse predicts the going will be good, with the course having the benefit of hefty midweek showers.

Cheltenham boss Edward Gillespie insists that despite the economic situation, tickets for the Festival have been selling well, but does expect the attendance over the four days to be slightly down on last year.

He also announced that on Gold Cup Friday (March 13), the Queen will be in attendance to see her horse Barber Shop run in the headline race.

Legendary flat jockey Lester Piggott will be on hand on Friday to make a presentation to champion jump jockey Tony Mc Coy, who reached 3,000 winners a couple of weeks ago.

Feature race on day one (Tuesday) is the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle, where the Nicky Henderson-trained Binocular is likely to start a hot favourite.

However he may not have things his own way with last year’s winner Katchit, trained locally by Barbury Castle’s Alan King on offer at a generous 14/1 and 2008 runner up Osana and the Paul Nicholls-trained Celestial Halo.

The Irish Independent Arkle Chase could go to Calgary Bay, trained at Wantage by Henrietta Knight and ridden by McCoy.

Wednesday’s Queen Mother Champion Chase would look to be a formality for the odds-on Master Minded so perhaps an each way interest on Petit Robin could prove profitable.

Another likely to start at a short price is Kasbah Bliss, favourite for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle on Thursday. If there is to be an upset in the race it could be provided by the Nicky Henderson-trained Punchestowns.

King could provide the answer to the Ryanair Chase with Voy Por Ustedes, another likely to go off at a short price and could also strike with Walkon in the JCB Hurdle on Friday, the main danger likely to come from the Henderson-trained Zaynar.

Festival highlight, the totesport Gold Cup, could rest between the Paul Nicholls-trained trio of Kauto Star, Denman and Neptune Collanges, with the Queen’s runner Barber Shop attracting plenty of each way support.

All four selections are likely to go off at a short price so perhaps a multiple bet of doubles, trebles and a four timer may reap a profit.

King, who reached a century of winners for the season last weekend when Silk Hall won at Newbury, is currently third in the National Trainers Championship behind Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson and believes his best chances are Voy Por Ustedes on Thursday and Walkon in the Triumph Hurdle on Friday.

He said: “ If you are lucky enough to get a winner on the first day it really helps to calm your nerves. But we all feel tension whether you are a trainer, owner or jockey.”

  • BROAD Hinton trainer Andy Turnell is savouring good ground at the Festival with his five runners headed by Micheal Flips in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Blue Bajan in the Champion Hurdle.

Turnell, below, has recorded four Festival successes, most notably with Katabatic in the 1991 Queen Mother Champion Chase, and has other live contenders for glory, including Micheal Flips at £200,000 purchased from the Brightwells Sales at the racecourse last April.

The five-year-old, a winning Irish point-to-pointer has won three of his four starts over hurdles, his latest victory coming at Kempton on Boxing Day when he scored by an impressive seven lengths.

Turnell told Turf Talk: “He came out of his win at Kempton in good form and has gone straight to the Festival because he goes well fresh.

“He will appear to be more effective on a faster surface but he won a point-to-point at Lismore last March on yielding ground so I am hopeful that he’s quite versatile in terms of ground.

“I would be optimistic that he has improved since Boxing Day and he’s only five so we’ve still got plenty to look forward to with him.’’ The trainer added: “Blue Bajan runs in the Champion Hurdle and the quicker the ground the better. He will be partnered by Graham Lee who gets on with him very well.

“Bible Lord will run in the Festival Plate on Thursday, Cheeting Chance in either the Jewson Novices’ Chase or in the Arkle and Jigsaw Dancer in the final race on Friday.

“I think they are all in with an each way shout .”

Ray’s Big Festival Four

Tuesday - Champion Hurdle: Binocular

Wednesday - Ladbrokes World Hurdle: Kasbah Bliss

Thursday - Ryanair Chase: Voy Por Ustedes

Friday - totesport Gold Cup: Kauto Star