Hoping for a fourth straight International with Old Guard

I've been lucky enough to ride the winner of the stanjames.com International Hurdle (3.00) at Cheltenham for the last three years and it would be a dream to make it four.

Old Guard, successful 12 months ago, gives me a definite chance, but it won’t be easy trying to concede 8lb to My Tent Or Yours.

Nicky Henderson's runner, who finished second to Annie Power in the Champion Hurdle, gets all the allowances and stands out at the weights, but you can never dismiss Old Guard or The New One lightly around Cheltenham. Both are in good form and, while it may surprise some to see The New One back in action over hurdles after his intended chase debut at Exeter last Friday was scuppered by the weather, it makes perfect sense based on the amount of prize-money available. After all, the International, which he has won twice, is a £130,000 race and he’d get nothing like that over fences at this stage of his career.