FERGIE'S FAB FOUR

Paul Ferguson has four aces to play when he hears that Festival roar

- Paul Ferguson

KOPEK DES BORDES Supreme Novices' Hurdle Starting with the obvious. The role as 'Banker' in this section could easily have been handed to Galopin des Champs but as his price contracts for the feature, he is making less appeal in that regard, for all that I feel that he will take the world of beating in his bid to land a third successive Gold Cup.

Sir Gino's defection from the Game Spirit Chase means that, at the time of writing at least, he has had just the one chase start, when taking apart subsequent Grade 1 winner Ballyburn in the Wayward Lad. It could be that he runs in the Pendil Novices' Chase (February 22) but he also faces a serious opponent in the Arkle in the shape of Majborough, so the captain's armband goes to Kopek des Bordes, who put up the best performance by a novice hurdler - either side of the Irish Sea when successful at Leopardstown in early-Feburary.

A horse who looked a future star when winning a bumper at Fairyhouse last April - the same sales bumper which was won by Brighterdaysahead in 2023 - he lacked fluency on his first start over hurdles, but still beat stable-mate and subsequent winner Kawaboomga (now prominent in the Turners market) at Leopardstown's Christmas fixture.

He left that form a long way behind when winning the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle, however, despite still doing plenty wrong. The 5yo looks to be the next big thing from the Willie Mullins-trained conveyor belt of star-studded talent and he can get the meeting off to the best possible start for the Closutton team.

HAITI COELUERS National Hunt Chase