Hurricane can storm home in Champion
I didn't specifically have Hurricane Fly in mind, but rather other races where both Willie and Paul Nicholls were going to have runners.
During the course of the conversation, however, Willie revealed I would be partnering Hurricane Fly and obviously I was more than pleased. It's a great ride to get and, undoubtedly, the best chance I have ever had of winning the Champion Hurdle.
It is the only big race I haven't won at the festival, having previously finished second three times, aboard Marble Arch, Brave Inca and Celestial Halo.
Hurricane Fly is all class and had the speed to win on the flat. I've ridden him at home of late and he's in good shape and looks really well.
He jumped a bit to the right at Leopardstown the last day, at least in the early stages, but I don't think that's an issue.
I rode him one day to win at Auteuil, which is left-handed, and he showed no such tendencies.
The absence of Binocular, of course, makes this less competitive, but it still has the makings of a cracking race.
Menorah and Peddlers Cross are two pure National Hunt horses and will take a lot of beating. Menorah has been given a long break by Philip Hobbs and he clearly thinks that's the right preparation for his horse.
You have to be impressed by Peddlers Cross, who has never been beaten. His stable companion, Overturn, also runs, so we can be sure of a scorching gallop.
Oscar Whisky seems to be well fancied, but on the balance of his form he seems to have something to prove.
This is the Champion Hurdle and I won't be taking any chances and likely to be not too far off the pace. Peddlers Cross is tough and will be hard to pass. The plan will be to come sweeping by in the closing stages.
I had a choice between Paul's Al Ferof and Willie's Zaidpour in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle and decided to go with Al Ferof.
The reasoning is quite simple, to my mind Zaidpour wants soft ground and is unlikely to get it. Al Ferof, in contrast, handles a nice surface and is going to have that. He is a gritty customer, who likes to race near the front and will be out of trouble all the way round.
Of course, Cue Card trounced us in last year's bumper and is clearly the one to beat. But he had a hard race against Menorah in December, when only a four-year-old, and you'd wonder if that has left its mark.
It will be a fine training performance by Colin Tizzard if he can get him right back to his best, after such a long lay-off.
Barry Geraghty agonised over which of Nicky Henderson' to ride, so there can't be much between Spirit Son and Sprinter Scare.
I think Quevega, in the mares' hurdle, is my best chance of a winner. She has won the contest for the last two years and, if anything, this looks the weakest of the three races. I know it is her first outing of the season, but Willie says she is exactly where he would want her to be.
Barry Geraghty tells me that Sparky May is more than useful and his opinion has to be respected. But it strikes me she can be free and that will not help her cause.
I ride Definity for Paul in the last, a handicap chase for novices. Paul says he has a good each-way shout, but this looks wide open.
I'm hoping to ride a winner today and that will ease the pressure immediately. What will be will be for the rest of the week and anything over one will be a bonus.
Besides Kauto Star, Master Minded and Big Buck's other rides I have confirmed over the next few days are So Young, Mikael D'Haguenet, Sam Winner, Call The Police (Coral Cup) and Pepe Simo (Grand Annual).
