AND so the final big day of Cheltenham Festival trials is on the horizon, but on top of that some fabulous prizes are up for grabs at both Newbury and Warwick this afternoon.

The Schweppes Gold Trophy became the Betfair Hurdle and is now the William Hill Handicap Hurdle (3.35) with 18 runners set to take in the two-mile hurdle course today. It always used to be a race run at a hectic pace on bad ground and in a way it was last man or woman standing that gained the day. That scenario has not always been the case of late with connections not wanting to appear vulnerable down the home lane.

I fancy that will not be the case here as there are enough forward running horses in the field to offer up a well run race. On purely handicapping terms, last year’s third Go Dante has claims off a 1lb higher mark and fully 9lbs better off with the winner Iberico Lord. The last named will try to defend his title off a 10lbs higher mark, while there are several five and six-year-olds still on the up, but the final question is which one of the latter make-up will make the biggest step forward.

I was torn between two entries; Mirabad and JOYEUSE. The former has won two of his last three starts off 115 and 120 and comes here fresh after his last clear-cut success in a 0-140 at Cheltenham in December. This will obviously require a career best, but his style of running permits him to find plenty more improvement.

But in the end I have sided with the grey mare, who is the least exposed in the line-up and is the choice of Nico de Boinville over last year’s winner. Too fresh on her seasonal debut at Ascot after 319 days on the sidelines, she then possibly found two-and-a-half miles too far behind Wodhooh after travelling all over her rival coming off the home bend. Being 4lbs higher here is no inconvenience and her high cruising speed and ability to make another massive step forward here are two great weapons to go to war with in this most traditionally competitive two-mile handicap hurdles of the season.

Master Minded (twice) and Altior (three times) will long be two of the most celebrated winners of the William Hill Game Spirit Chase and SIR GINO (3.00) bids to join that esteemed list in this afternoon’s renewal.

Unlike the majority of pundits I didn’t go head over heels with his win at Kempton Park as the odds were truly against his victim Ballyburn, both the nature of the track and the sharp trip. Like his stable mate, Lossiemouth, he looked hugely ill at ease from the off.

Now, despite those notes I still think Nicky Henderson’s charge will win here, but in turn I still would not be surprised if he struggled a wee bit to land this famous Grade Two chase against his senior speedsters.

Matata will ensure he will at least have a pace to run at, but that will also apply to Libberty Hunter, a late maturing nine-year-old who was given a sumptuous ride by Harry Cobden to win at Cheltenham last time out off a mark of 144 and deserves this shot at a higher grade. The gap he needs to bridge at first glance seems too far, but it is the make-up of this race which gives him a shot at a shock and I couldn‘t put any of you off him and he is preferred to Master Chewy who was back in third spot at the Prestbury Park track.

The Denman Chase at 2.25 is sadly no longer a legitimate Gold Cup trial especially as Bravemansgame is the 2/1 favourite and he doesn’t stay three-and-a-quarter miles at the festival track and will instead wait for Aintree.

He is still a very good chaser, make no bones about that, but what else is there in this field that makes for a solid wager? Well GA Law needs better ground, Hitman is still not tried and tested over this trip, a remark that also applies to Djelo.

So the vote goes to LA PATRON. I am quite happy to forgive his run at Cheltenham last time out in the December Gold Cup as that undulating track has never played to his strengths with that tailed off run following a pulled up effort in the Turner Novices Chase 11 months ago. This is his track and in a below par renewal of this event, the Gary and Josh Moore trained charge can land the biggest victory of his 17-race career so far.

TUTTI QUANTI (1.15) looks solid in the opening novices hurdle, while the staying handicap hurdle that follows at 1.50 looks a deal more wide open. Top weight Haiti Couleurs is a player as he warms up for either the Brown Advisory or more likely the National Hunt Chase at the big meet next month. The question is can he possibly give up a small amount of weight to THE FOUR SIXES.

Two runs over fences can safely be disregarded and this switch back to timber looks a solid call from the shrewd Olly Murphy. This will be his first three-mile calling over hurdles, but in all his back end races he looked as though the extra yardage would suit him.

I am happy to presume he has not gone backwards for tackling fences this season thus far and only 2lbs above his highest mark over 2m5f, I think he is well worth the chance at a huge 25/1.

Over at Warwick, RUBAUD’S superior pace and in receipt of 5lbs could give him the edge over likely favourite L’Eau du Sud, while WEST BALBOA (2.40) may well be worth one more chance now that she runs over an intermediate trip again. However, the best bet on the card could well come in the Veterans’ Handicap Chase at 3.15.

Several of these love to dominate in their races and those back straight fences are sure to be a sight with these seniors in full flight. I want to have GRANDAD’S COTTAGE on my side following his opening win at Carlisle. He simply didn’t go a yard in a similar qualifier last time out at Market Rasen, but off a pound lower here the 10-year-old may well be able to bounce back being by far the least exposed in the line-up.