'He's the most exciting horse we've had at this stage of his career - and he's in great shape'

A carbon copy of last year's Cheltenham Festival would do very nicely for Dan Skelton, who led the British resistance from the front with four winners.

On target to win his first trainers' championship this season, Skelton's team at Lodge Hill Farm in Warwickshire seems to get bigger and stronger every year and that is reflected in his squad for the biggest jumps meeting of the season.

"I think we've got a nice team this year," he says. "Last year I thought the same going into it and all the stars aligned. It was magical and we're going to need the stars to align again for the same thing to happen.