Daring to dream that a Golden Hour could be upon us again

Is it foolhardy to imagine the unimaginable happening again?Considering we are in a position to even contemplate such a thing suggests it is at least fathomable that, against the odds, the stars beyond Cleeve Hill could align just as they did 12 months ago.

Cheltenham in March has long been a spellbinding environment, but on the third day of last year's festival, in the space of one magical hour, there was enough awe and stardust to lift all 60,000 people crammed into Prestbury Park to the dizzy highs of cloud nine.

Following the Champion Hurdle and Champion Chase on the previous two days and with the Gold Cup still to come, Thursday's card headed by the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle and Ryanair Chase perhaps sits fourth of four phenomenal days in the minds of most.

Yet last year, thanks to Frodon, Paisley Park and their colourful connections, it produced the brightest hour of a gleaming week.

Frodon returns to a hero's welcome last yearCredit: Michael Steele (Getty Images)

The beauty of Frodon, looking to once again touch down in front after the last in the Ryanair and Paisley Park, hot favourite to grind his rivals into submission with a repeat win in the Stayers', is that both have a captivating story to tell. So when the two entwine, just like they did 12 months ago, the result is 24 carat gold.

With his partner in crime Bryony Frost, Frodon wears his mighty heart on his saddle cloth. Out in front, Frost and Frodon dare each other at their fences while daring the opposition to come and have a go if they have the stomach for it.

Like Pinot Noir and Camembert, horse and rider make the perfect match. Two larger-than-life characters with an infectious enthusiasm, Frodon and Frost have climbed jump racing's ranks together. Brother and sister in arms, you get the feeling there is nothing one would not do for the other.

After last year's all-the-way win, and not for the first time, Frost was able to let the rest of us in on what she had just experienced.

Hearing that torrent of joy was the closest most of us will get to riding a winner at the festival. Which is exactly why a repeat performance will go down a storm.

Paisley Park, the dominant staying hurdler of his generation, has an equally inspiring story to tell.

Having almost succumbed to colic as a youngster, he has roared back to take his affable owner Andrew Gemmell on a once-in-a-lifetime journey to the top of jump racing's steep pyramid.

Everyone wanted a piece of Gemmell in the build up to last year. Blind since birth, one might expect his Cheltenham experience to be something wholly different to yours or mine yet the way he speaks of the joy it brings is every bit the same.

An aficionado of the sport who has been visiting this sacred spot in the Cotswolds since 1971, it takes no convincing when he says last year's win was the best day of his life.

That was a day when history was made. The time is now upon us to see if history can be repeated.

While Paisley Park, odds-on for his repeat, has looked banker material since completing back-to-back wins in the Cleeve Hurdle, Frodon is only third best in the Ryanair market, with formidable Irish duo A Plus Tard and Min at the top of the market.

Paisley Park out on his own in the 2019 Stayers' HurdleCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

There is no shortage of confidence behind A Plus Tard, a winner at the festival last season and ridden by jockey of the moment Rachael Blackmore, while Min has only been beaten once in five starts beyond 2m2f.

The first fairytale of the day could be written in the opener, with Faugheen, making his fifth Cheltenham Festival appearance, chasing a third win at the meeting at the veteran age of 12.

It was back in 2014 that he burst from the pack to win what is now the Ballymore and 12 months later made all in the Champion Hurdle.

Incredibly he is only a novice over fences and a very good one at that with three wins in an unbeaten season in chases.

After hearing the reception that greeted his win at Leopardstown in February, Cheltenham's roof could end up in west Wales should he repeat the trick in a Marsh Novices' Chase that also includes the enigma that is Samcro.

Away from the Graded action, the annual conundrum that is the Pertemps Final heads three typically competitive handicaps on a day that once again has the potential to steal the festival show.

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