This horse has a mind of his own but I can't get him out of my head in the Paddy Power Gold Cup

This is as good as it gets, folks. There is something for everybody on both sides of the Irish Sea this weekend, a top-class card at Cheltenham, some stars returning at Navan and decent action at Uttoxeter and Wetherby for good measure.

Let's begin with the big one at Cheltenham, the Paddy Power Gold Cup (2.20). It looks an up-to-scratch running, too, with last season's Brown Advisory winner The Real Whacker heading the weights and Turners victor Stage Star in there too. That gives you an indication of the quality of the fare.

Personally I'm not crazy about those towards the top of the market so I'm going to look down both the weights and the betting in pursuit of the winner. The one I've landed on nice odds is the Ben Pauling-trained bottom weight Harper's Brook, who has plenty of course form, a lovely weight and, although he's a few pounds out of the handicap and has a mind of his own, is still worth an each-way play in a contest that is sure to be well run and possibly set up for a closer.