Sam Waley-Cohen sweet on his chances of more Cheltenham Festival success

Sam Waley-Cohen expects to have at least two live chances of adding to his enviable Cheltenham Festival record.

The rider has four festival victories to his name, including Long Run's epic 2011 Gold Cup success, making him second only to Jamie Codd in terms of currently active amateurs at the meeting.

One of a select band of jockeys from the unpaid ranks to have won the Gold Cup, Waley-Cohen will join the rest of the amateur weighing room in resuming at the festival after being forced by Covid-19 restrictions to miss the meeting last season.

And despite picking up a five-day ban at Newbury on Friday which will force him to miss the ride on Jett in the St James's Place-sponsored Hunters' Chase on the final day, Waley-Cohen has much to look forward to earlier in the week.

"I'm hoping to ride Noble Yeats in the Ultima and then he'll hopefully go to the National," he said. "I'm booked to ride Mister Coffey for Nicky Henderson in the Kim Muir."

Noble Yeats is among the leading fancies for the Ultima Handicap Chase on day one of the Cheltenham FestivalCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

On returning to the festival following last year's events, Waley-Cohen added: "It'll be so special. I think the amateurs bring an enormous amount to racing and it's just brilliant to all be there competing and showing all that's great about the sport. I can't wait."

Noble Yeats was sent from Emmet Mullins' Carlow base to finish second behind Ahoy Senor in the Grade 2 Towton Novices' Chase at Wetherby last month and the seven-year-old is no bigger than 11-1 for the Ultima and 25-1 for the National on April 9.

"I went to school Noble Yeats last week and I'm really looking forward to riding him," said Waley-Cohen. "He's a lovely horse and it was great to go and get some experience and get to know each other."

The chance to ride Mister Coffey – who finished a distant second to L'Homme Presse in the Scilly Isles Novices' Chase having almost demolished the final fence in the Sandown straight on the first circuit – will revive a long-running and fruitful link with Henderson.

"I've ridden for Nicky for over 20 years so we've had a long association and some great days together at Cheltenham," added Waley-Cohen.

"Long Run, Liberthine and Rajdhani Express, three of my Cheltenham winners, were all from Nicky's yard and there's nobody you'd rather be riding for when you go to Cheltenham. He's the master."

Mister Coffey: up in trip for the Kim Muir at CheltenhamCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Waley-Cohen received his five-day ban from the Newbury stewards after swerving late on debutant Touchy Feely, a homebred daughter of his first festival winner Liberthine.

He said: "I always look for the positives and she showed that she has real ability and talent. Her racing career isn't going to be made on her first bumper.

"In terms of the Friday at Cheltenham, it's obviously disappointing not to be there but imagine if it had been a day when you were trying to ride in the Gold Cup on Long Run. We'll take our graces.

"In reality we were wondering whether we were going to get Jett there in the best of form, given he had to have two hunter chases close together. We'll save him now for Aintree and freshen him up. We know he loves the course."

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