Let’s get rolling with Noland

THE talking has finally finished and now it is time for action.

Yesterday morning, I went to Paul Nicholls’ to have a sit on Kauto Star. It was the exact same routine as last year and we all know how that ended.

The purpose of the exercise was simple — to give Kauto an outdoor school over some baby fences. All we wanted was to get him off the ground and it went well, so it’s all guns blazing for the Gold Cup.

Friday, however, seems a long way away right now and there is so much work to be done before we arrive at that day.

Let’s get cracking. There’s little doubt that my best ride this afternoon is Noland in the Arkle Trophy. The more you look at the race, the harder it becomes, I think, to find a horse who is going to beat him.

I’ve heard it said he won’t be able to go the pace and two miles is too short, but I’m having none of that.

Two years ago, he managed to get up on the line and win the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. People, under-standably, are looking back at that and drawing their conclusions.

But there is no comparison between the two races. The Supreme Novices’ is a speed test, over just eight hurdles.

You have to truly stay to win an Arkle and there are 12 fences to be jumped.

He won his opening race over fences at Folkestone and didn’t impress everyone. But we must remember that was his first outing for nearly two years, since he had scored at Cheltenham in 2006.

Believe it or not, he was all wrong after Folkestone and Paul wasn’t sure if he’d have him back in time for Cheltenham. Noland wasn’t wound up going to Sandown and certainly wasn’t a hundred percent. I was absolutely delighted with him.

He jumped superbly and I loved the way he quickened heading to the second last. Once he hit the front, he would only do what was required.

I’m relishing the thought of riding him again and am as confident as I can be heading into a championship race.

MY WEEK didn’t exactly get away to a flier when told on Sunday morning that De Valira was out of the Champion Hurdle.

There is nothing worse for a trainer than to put his heart and soul into preparing a horse for a big day like this and then have it snatched away literally at the last minute. I am so sorry for De Valira’s owners.

I was then lucky enough to get on Catch Me and he has some sort of chance. You couldn’t fault him when winning at Gowran anyway. The last occasion I came in for a late spare for Edward O’Grady was on Sacundai at Aintree. Norman Williamson got injured, I stepped up and we won the Martell Hurdle. Could lightning strike again?

You would have to say Sizing Europe is the one we all have to beat. He was hugely impressive when winning the AIG at Leopardstown. I’ve only ridden him once, at Punchestown, and felt he was a pure chaser and whatever he did over hurdles would be a bonus.

I regard Sublimity as all about speed and he is sure to sit in behind Sizing Europe. He was good last year, but beat a horse going backwards in Brave Inca.

Harchibald is the each-way value of the race. I know the argument will be made that he didn’t come up the hill two years ago. But he was meeting two teak-tough customers then in Hardy Eustace and Brave Inca. Maybe, there’s nothing in this field as tough as them.

Rippling Ring schooled beautifully for me the other day and I’m happy to be on him in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. He was a group horse on the flat in South Africa, but God only knows what that amounts to. He won easily first time over flights at Doncaster, but this is a major rise in class.

Bottom line is he has as good a chance as any, in what appears to be an impossible start for punters.

If you put a gun to my head and forced a tip then it would probably be Captain Cee Bee, but there will be easier opportunities.

You couldn’t say Ofarel d’Airy has got under the handicapper’s radar and you could be no more than hopeful about him in the William Hill Handicap Chase.

The Fred Winter is a fascinating race. Ashkazar bolted in at Sandown in the Imperial Cup on Saturday and he’s going to be very difficult to beat. Tom Cooper’s River Liane has a great chance as well. This is not your typical Irish horse going for a handicap, because he was assessed on his form in France.

Home for my wife, Gillian, and myself for the week will be a cottage near the racecourse. After Cheltenham, I head to Uttoxeter on Saturday. So, unless things go arse-ways, I won’t be back in Ireland until Saturday night.

Let’s hope Noland puts us all in good humour today, and gets us rolling for the week.