Gumball not a 'no-hoper' and should outrun his odds in wide-open Champion Hurdle

It is now 21 years since I won my first race at the Cheltenham Festival. It was then, and it is now, the most important meeting of the year and I'll be going back every bit as excited as some of those jockeys who were not even born when Anzum flew up the hill to win the Stayers' Hurdle.

I possibly get excited about it in a different way these days. It used to be like waiting for Christmas to come around. When it did, everything seemed to happen in a bit of a blur. Now I tend to think about it more. I absolutely still get nervous, though. I can't believe any jockey goes there without nerves – and I think nerves sometimes make you sharper anyway.

Brewin'upastorm closes in on Good Boy Bobby on his chasing debut at CarlisleCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

As I said in the column on Saturday, Thyme Hill is perhaps my most obvious chance of a winner this week but I have very high hopes for my first ride of the festival, Brewin'upastorm, who is deservedly one of the leading market contenders for the Racing Post Arkle (2.10).

He hasn't run since winning the second of his two novice chases at Taunton in mid-November because he banged a joint and Olly Murphy understandably wanted to give him time. He thought about taking him to Warwick for the Kingmaker but didn't want to rush or force the horse, particularly given the ground we've had this winter.