BETWAY: Davy Russell Navan and Cheltenham focus

The wait is almost over and the best four days of National Hunt racing anywhere in the world is nearly here! I’ll be heading over to Cheltenham on Monday and I just try to treat it like any other meeting – I suppose that just comes with experience.

It’s important not to get too excited or revved up about one particular ride as you simply end up heading home with your tail between your legs.

NAVAN SUNDAY

I’ve only got the one ride this weekend which is Oscar Lantern for Charles Byrnes in a novice hurdle at Navan on Sunday.

He only faces three other rivals, but will definitely need to improve. The 2m 7f trip on testing ground will suit and it’s a big plus that he’ll definitely stay.

CHELTENHAM

Dunsaany-trained Zabana heads to the JLT

I schooled Zabana over fences this week and he gave me a great feel.

The plan is now to head to the JLT Chase on Thursday and the forecast drying ground will be right up his street.

We know he needs to improve to be a player in such a competitive race, but he ran a cracker at the meeting last year and hopefully can go well again. 

Silver Concorde needs decent ground

The rain that arrived at Cheltenham earlier in the week certainly wasn’t music to my ears as my Supreme Novices’ hopeS ilver Concorde wants a really decent surface to be seen at his best.

He’ll need to run a career best to mix it with the best of these and I’d say I’m hopeful rather than confident.

First Figaro a nice Bumper mount

I’m thrilled to have picked up the ride on First Figaro in the Champion Bumper on Wednesday.

He’s been very consistent and he’s another one that will relish the drying ground.

Riding a winner at the Festival

There are still quite a few things up in the air as regards different Cheltenham rides and I’ll update you all more throughout next week with a daily blog.

All I would say is that riding a winner at the Festival means absolutely everything to all jockeys.

You can ride 55 winners in a season but not have a sniff at Cheltenham and it goes down as a disappointing season.

The flip side of that coin is that if you’ve only ridden five winners all season but get one home at Cheltenham, it changes absolutely everything.

Cheltenham is everything.