By James Toney at Cheltenham
Sir Alex Ferguson might not have much to cheer about at Old Trafford, but he could be back in the winners' enclosure at the Cheltenham Festival.
Caldwell Potter became the most expensive National Hunt horse in history when it sold for over £600,000 earlier this year to a syndicate that includes the former Manchester United manager, who enjoyed two wins on this day last year.
The horse failed to deliver when odds-on to win at the Berkshire Winter Millions at Windsor. However, he now appears well-handicapped for the Jack Richards Novices' Limited Handicap Chase (2.00pm) and is a Grade One winner for former trainer Gordon Elliott before switching to Paul Nicholls in Somerset.
Ben Pauling's Diva Luna was a talented bumper performer last season and, while her hurdling career has not really caught light, she's a worthy contender in a wide-open renewal of the Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle (1.20pm).
Trainer Ben Pauling watched his charge win at Cheltenham on New Year's Day and immediately claimed she could do better, with her breeding suggesting there is both speed and stamina. Even if her long-term ambition will be over three miles, this sharper test will still suit.
Win Some Lose Some is an appropriately named horse for Cheltenham, but it should be a case of the former rather than the latter in the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle (2.40pm). Jeriko Du Reponet, in the same JP McManus colours, will start as favourite, but Win Some Lose Some is an upwardly mobile sort who didn’t seem bothered by a big field on his last start at Leopardstown, with 24 lining up here.
Walsh then takes the ride on Fact To File, who has all the class to land the Ryanair Chase (3.20pm), having finished third and second behind Gold Cup favourite Galopin Des Champs, while Home By The Lee is two from two this season and looks set to build on a Grade 1 win at Leopardstown over Christmas when he takes on the Stayers' Hurdle at 4pm, the absence of non-runner Langer Dan a disapppointment,
Jagwar was an eye-catching course and distance winner here in January and can defy a modest rise in the weights in the TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase (4.40pm), while Walking On Air, a final-fence faller on his last start at Doncaster, is well treated to bounce back in the Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys' Handicap Chase (5.20pm).
Selections: 1.20: Diva Luna (nap), 2.00: Caldwell Potter, 2.40: Win Some Lose Some, 3.20: Fact To File, 4.00: Home By The Lee, 4.40: Jagwar, 5.20: Walking On Air.
