Back at scene of finest hour over jumps and where he suffered 'devastating blow'

Cheltenham: venue of legends, and a place where emotions are put through the wringer. Just ask Midlands-based trainer Ian Williams, who is set to saddle the fancied Ballyalton at the home of jump racing in Saturday's highlight, the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup.

In March 2016, Williams achieved the ambition of a lifetime when Ballyalton provided his first festival success in the Close Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase.

"It was the one thing I'd wanted to do since I started training," says the trainer. "I'd been fortunate enough to work for people who had Cheltenham winners so it was always an ambition to have one of my own."