Galvin, a horse bought to give his Scottish owner a bit of fun round Perth in the summer, can land steeplechasing’s blue riband, the Boodles Gold Cup, at the tail-end of winter on Friday and seal the ‘rehabilitation’ of his trainer, Gordon Elliott.

Ronnie Bartlett, the horse’s owner and Scottish potato baron whose silks were carried to success in the last race on the opening day with Stattler, is guaranteed one visit to the podium in the winner’s enclosure on Friday as the sponsor of the Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle. He has also won the Foxhunters in the past with Zemsky but it is the race in between he would most like to win.

Galvin is not the normal physical template of a staying chaser but, then, neither was his high achieving stablemate Tiger Roll. Neither horse is particularly big.

His key Irish form came at Leopardstown at Christmas when he beat A Plus Tard by a short-head. That was over three miles and he looked a little bit out paced going to the last but he stayed on strongly up the run-in to nail Rachael Blackmore’s mount on the line.

The extra quarter of a mile should play into his hands and confirm his superiority over last year’s runner-up A Plus Tard. The form, however, that may stand him in best stead for Friday’s race is his victory in last year’s National Hunt Chase over half a mile further, stamina should be a key ingredient in today’s winner and Cheltenham form is never a bad thing at Cheltenham.

“He’s improved,” said Elliott of the eight-year-old. “He’s showing a lot more pace this season and you’d say he’s classy enough. We’ve been working on his speed. If you go through the race there are question marks over every horse. He ticks a lot of boxes for the race. He’s a stayer and that’s what you need to win a Gold Cup.”

It would help him if it has dried up a bit too but it looks an open edition of the Gold Cup and it would be no surprise were Minella Indo, this year ridden by Robbie Power, to successfully defend his title.

He has been showing steady improvement all season for Henry de Bromhead and, form-wise, he comes into this year’s race no worse than he did 12 months ago while Blackmore will be hoping she can go one better than she did on the reliable A Plus Tard last year and conquer another peak. He likes testing ground although I think three and a quarter miles stretches his stamina to its limits.

Willie Mullins runs three. We know what Al Boum Photo is and he has followed a similar path to last year, when he was third, and the two previous years when he won it. He should not be lightly dismissed either.

His stable companion Tornado Flyer caused a surprise when winning the King George VI Chase at Kempton, a race in which a few leading lights did not run their races.

That was his first attempt at three miles and his first win for two years but if it is still properly soft after two days of sunshine that might help him. There is a big race in Asterion Forlonge one day but he seems to lack concentration jumping and his form is punctuated by Us and Fs.

According to the market Protektorat, another who has only attempted three miles once before, is the best hope of keeping the Gold Cup at home for the first time since Native River in 2018. Aged seven Dan Skelton’s gelding, part-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson, is the youngest in the race and it would be no surprise if the bookies are right in their thinking.

Venetia Williams’ Royal Pagaille, who found it happening all too quick in this race last year, comes into play if it does not dry out too much.

Nicky Henderson reckons he has Chantry House moving better than he has done all season but I slightly wonder, after the King George, if he is man enough for this while his former stablemate Santini, now trained by Polly Gundry, is a former runner-up in this but is probably not quite good enough and if I was riding him it would be with half an eye on the Grand National.

Elliott can start the day on a high note winning the JCB Triumph Hurdle with Pied Piper and the massive Hillcrest should go well for Henry Daly in the Albert Bartlett.

Gina Andrews, the most successful female point-to-point rider of all time, had a call from Henry de Bromhead’s yard last week. She was mentally wondering which superstar they might want her to ride, when the caller asked if they could borrow a goat as a companion for one of the Irish stable’s runners because Brexit now makes it difficult to bring their own.

She is over that disappointment now but she can cap a stellar career between the flags by winning the St James’s Place Festival Challenge Hunters Chase, the pinnacle event for amateur riders, on Dubai Quest, trained by her husband Tom Ellis.

Cheltenham Festival 2022 day four tips

1.30: Triumph Hurdle

Off the back of a career-best effort on the flat at Leicester last October, PIED PIPER changed hands for 225,000gns at the Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale and has since quickly established himself as one of the leading lights of the juvenile hurdling division, denying the well-regarded (and reopposing) Vauban on their respective hurdling debuts at Punchestown prior to cantering to an easy success over today’s course and distance back in January. Pied Piper may not have beaten much that day but he left a deep visual impression and his course experience can only benefit him with today’s race in mind.

• Marlborough: Pied Piper NAP
• Marcus Armytage: Pied Piper
• Ed Chamberlin: Vauban

2.10: County Hurdle

This season’s Greatwood Hurdle came to the fore once again on the opening day of the Festival, with sixth-placed Glory And Fortune finishing an excellent fifth in the Champion Hurdle and seventh-placed Marie’s Rock breaking her Grade 1 duck in the Mares’ Hurdle. The Greatwood Hurdle winner West Cork is one for obvious appeal, having been kept fresh for this following a below-par effort in the Betfair Exchange Trophy at Ascot. However, JESSE EVANS looks to have been dismissed at the current prices: he was sent off favourite for the Greatwood Hurdle and, while he failed to fire that day, it is interesting that he looks to have been put away for this race. With Sean Flanagan resuming riding duties, he can bounce right back to form here.

• Marlborough: Jesse Evans
• Marcus Armytage: Eclair de Beaufeu NAP
• Ed Chamberlin: State Man NAP

2.50: Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle

Having barely put a foot wrong all season, expensive purchase Ginto might be the most popular idea of the winner here and his claims are hard to ignore, having won all three of his starts this season with ease. However, this is far-and-away his toughest assignment to date and cases can be made for several of his rivals, with dangers headed by MINELLA COCOONER, who heads up the Willie Mullins four-pronged assault on the race off the back of a taking victory on his first try at Grade 1 level at Leopardstown last month. His stablemate The Nice Guy is unbeaten in three starts and can be right in the mix here; he completes the shortlist.

• Marlborough: Minella Cocooner
• Marcus Armytage: Hillcrest
• Ed Chamberlin: Hillcrest

3.30: Gold Cup

Tricky race to pick through, with Wednesday’s heavy rainfall sure to play its part in proceedings. A Plus Tard put in one of the best performances of the season when demolishing six rivals by upwards of 22 lengths in the Betfair Chase last November. He followed that up with a narrow defeat to Galvin in the Savills Chase and, having been freshened up for this, is taken to reverse the placings with his Leopardstown conqueror. Whilst he is greatly respected, a flyer is taken on ASTERION FORLONGE, who on more than one occasion has been let down by his jumping but has long threatened to produce an effort out of the top drawer; he can surprise them all here.

• Marlborough: Asterion Forlonge
• Marcus Armytage: Galvin
• Ed Chamberlin: Galvin

4.10: Foxhunters

It is hard to get away from BILLAWAY, who has been second in this race for the past two years, most recently when edged out by a short-head last year. Once again, Willie Mullins looks to have taken aim at this contest and Billaway is strongly fancied to make it third time lucky for his connections. Last year’s Aintree Foxhunters’ Chase winner Cousin Pascal comes into this off the back of a good victory at the expense of the reopposing Bob And Co. He can enhance his tidy record in this sphere with another big run here.

• Marlborough: Billaway
• Marcus Armytage: Dubai Quest
• Ed Chamberlin: Bob and Co

4.50: Mares’ Chase

A light campaign for MOUNT IDA suggests that her season has so far revolved around targeting this race, with her two starts so far having yielded two victories, namely at Listed and Grade 3 level. This sees her escape a penalty coming into this Grade 2 event and she can prove worth the wait. Her 6 ½ length victory in the Kim Muir at last year’s Festival is arguably the best form on offer and she is readily taken to double her tally at this meeting. Concertista has to concede 3lb to her rivals but is highly respected in this context, having won both her starts over fences to date.

• Marlborough: Mount Ida
• Marcus Armytage: Mount Ida
• Ed Chamberlin: Mount Ida

5.30: Martin Pipe

The 2m6f Grade 1 Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Novices’ Hurdle from Leopardstown last month could hold the key here, with the third, fourth & sixth set to re-oppose, namely Hollow Games, Freedom To Dream and Grand Jury respectively. Grand Jury has been mixing it in smart company this season but his mark of 141 reflects that and, whilst he can run much better here than his last start, FREEDOM TO DREAM is fancied to enjoy a considerable pull at the weights and emerge best of this trio. His trainer Peter Fahey has continued to prove himself a particularly shrewd handler and his representative here looks to have a great chance of outrunning his likely long odds.

• Marlborough: Freedom to Dream
• Marcus Armytage: Cobblers Dream
• Ed Chamberlin: Grand Jury

Marlborough’s tip of the day

1.30 The heavy rain that fell on Wednesday can play into the hands of PIED PIPER, who has looked an impressive gelding of considerable potential in winning his two starts to date over hurdles. Indeed, connections were considering a tilt at the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle following his latest win. Pied Piper promises to have a lot more to offer in this sphere and, with the benefit of winning course form to his name, he ticks plenty of boxes in his bid to give trainer Gordon Elliott a 3rd win in the race.